Alberta Health Services

By knowing what to expect at your COVID-19 vaccine mmunization appointment, you can help keep things running smoothly for yourself and others. Albertans 75+ can learn more and find options for transportation at albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page17349.aspx

Gary Williams, 78, received his first COVID-19 vaccine and says he is grateful for the opportunity. I appreciate what everybody has done. This is excellent, he says. He knows that he still needs to wear a mask and keep distancing, but he looks forward to eventually seeing his grandkids and travelling.

Everyone is eager to receive their immunization. All those who have booked their appointments will be vaccinated. You can help limit delays for Albertans 75+ & learn more about what to expect at immunization clinics by reviewing our vaccine booking FAQ: albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page17349.aspx

Karl Kuhnlein, 90, is looking forward to eventually playing pool with his friends again and seeing his grandchildren. He received the COVID-19 vaccine this week. We all miss being together, says his daughter-in-law Betty Ann Lough. We’re so excited.

Dr. Verna Yiu, AHS President & CEO: "I want to publicly & personally apologize to anyone who experienced frustration, anger or worry over what should be a hopeful time in the pandemic response." More: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca///2021/Page15805.aspx

More than 108,000 Albertans 75 years and older have now booked their COVID-19 immunization appointments. There are appointments available through 811 or the online booking tool in all zones. There is currently minimal or no wait to book using the online tool at ahs.ca/covidvaccine. Albertans can also book a COVID-19 immunization through some local pharmacies. For a list of participating pharmacies, please visit: https://www.ab.bluecross.ca//covid-19-immunization-program. Th...ank you to all those who have signed up to be immunized, and to all the teams working to immunize Albertans. For more information on the vaccination phases, booking system, transportation and what to expect at your appointment, please visit https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page17349.aspx. This will be the last update this evening on booking tallies. Additional information will be provided tomorrow morning.

Pictured at left is ICU physician Dr. Simon Demers-Marcil, from earlier this year, calling a family to tell them a loved one died of COVID-19. This week, Dr. Demers-Marcil received the COVID-19 vaccine. #shotofhope #covid19ab

Consider what you eat when you’re recovering from COVID-19. Even a small increase in protein may help you maintain or gain weight & strength. Snack on nuts or trail mix, add peanut butter to crackers or toast or add protein powder to smoothies. More ideas: https://bit.ly/2VAMOou

COVID-19 has put a lot of things on hold. Cancer isn’t one of them. Family doctors’ offices are open and ready to help. Early diagnosis of cancer leads to better outcomes. Learn more at ahs.ca/bodytalk

Every day is just like a new set of nerves, says Charlene Giselbrecht, a registered nurse in the Emergency Department, Royal Alexandra Hospital. We’re short staffed because nurses and staff are off because their families are sick or they’re sick. Giselbrecht says we all have a role to play if we want life to return to normal. If we do those little things, keeping distance, reducing cohorts, we can prevent a lot.

Major progress is being made, inside and out, as the state-of-the-art Calgary Cancer Centre continues to take shape. Operational planning is also officially underway, and the project is on time and on budget. For more information visit https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/info/page15399.aspx

Extendicare Holyrood resident Sharon McGowan, 72, received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on the advice of her physician. She looks forward to more people getting the vaccine, so she can eventually resume her ritual of going out to play bingo every Friday.

Public health RN Teana Pokeda immunizes Jean Chamberland, 86, at Extendicare in St. Paul. It doesn’t bother me, says Jean about receiving the vaccine, adding he was excited to be among the first Albertans in long-term care to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

I used to shake hands with every single patient. Family members would come in and you’d shake their hands, says Dr. Jeremy Myles. Even a simple gesture like a handshake can provide a patient with some reassurance that you’re on for them. There’s not a lot of handshaking going on right now. ... Myles is a hospitalist at Foothills Medical Centre. He says that in early 2020, as COVID-19 reached Alberta, the level of anxiety on his team at Foothills Medical Centre was extremely high. I sense that the level of anxiety is very similar now, he says, as COVID-19 rates climb dramatically in the province. He’s hoping that people will listen to public health directives to help flatten the curve, so that life can one day get back to normal. We’re entering a phase where, again, reduced gatherings are going to be back and part of regular life. I suspect that for the next few weeks, social life is relatively non-existent to be honest. He knows people are missing their friends and families. He is, too. I miss my mom and she misses our kids and they miss their grandmother, he says. There’s no substitute for seeing people face to face.

This is real. We need to take this seriously, says Mishaela Houle, Executive Director, Cardiac Sciences, Edmonton Zone. We have a higher number of patients in acute care than we ever did in the spring, and if we continue on at this rate, our health system is going to have a very difficult time responding to all the patient needs. Our staff has a number of challenges between contact tracing, being sick themselves, having to stay home with sick loved ones or children. We ...are really struggling to keep staff at the frontlines for the patients that require it. We need your help. We need you to stay home. We need you to limit the people you interact with. Do everything you can to limit the transmission of COVID-19 and to protect our health system.

Today is Pharmacy Assistant Day. Our role is to be the first in line when there is a process to start at a pharmacy, says Kelsey Krall, a pharmacy assistant at Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge. It’s a hands-on career, one that involves a range of duties: receiving medication orders, packaging, stocking, picking medications that a pharmacist has requested, and then getting those medications checked by a pharmacy technician. Being a pharmacy assistant is also rewardin...g, she says. There’s a real sense of accomplishment when you rise to the challenges of maintaining service levels during exceptionally busy times, says Krall. We play a key role in helping patients.

Alberta continues to see COVID-19 spread by people with mild symptoms who have not stayed home. If you’re feeling unwell, even with mild symptoms, please stay home.

The Alberta Labour Relations Board has issued a decision on Monday’s illegal job action by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE). AUPE has been ordered to cease and desist all illegal strike activity. We expect staff members to return to work as scheduled.... https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/Page15684.aspx

Important update: If a positive case of COVID-19 attends an event while infectious, AHS will now notify the organizer of the event, and provide that organizer with written notification that the organizer will be required to email to all event attendees. Events continue to pose significant risk of COVID-19 transmission. If you are hosting, visit www.ahs.ca/events to learn more, including about your role in contact tracing.

Sheila Veeder, a resident of the Riverview Care Centre in Medicine Hat, is the first long-term care resident in Alberta to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. #ShotOfHope

If you are feeling unwell, please stay home & complete the COVID-19 online self-assessment for testing: http://ahs.ca/covid #COVID19AB

AHS is postponing non-emergency surgeries due to strike action by the Alberta Union of Provincial employees at various sites across the province. All emergency procedures will continue as well as some urgent surgeries, such as cancer procedures. Non-urgent ambulatory care procedures and clinic visits are also being postponed. Patients will be contacted directly if their appointments are affected. Visitors may be limited at some acute care sites depending on the level of stri...ke action. Essential visitors for continuing care residents are encouraged to continue to visit. Loved ones will appreciate the ongoing support, and especially so given the impact of labour action on our sites. All visitors will continue to be required to follow COVID-19 protocols.

Alberta Health Services has received numerous questions regarding the affiliation of Dr. Roger Hodkinson, who has made numerous public statements critical of the public health measures in place to manage the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. We would like to clarify that Dr. Hodkinson has no formal affiliation with and is not employed in any capacity by AHS. AHS strongly advises all Albertans to follow public health guidelines and respect local regulations regarding ...physical distancing, use of masks, self-isolation and COVID-19 testing protocols in order to limit the transmission of the virus. For complete information about COVID-19 in Alberta, including current public health actions, visit: www.ahs.ca/covid

How do I get a flu shot? Children 6 months to under 5 years and their families can book appointments at http://bit.ly/AHSFlu. Anyone 5 years or older can go to a pharmacist. Questions? Call 811 and talk to a registered nurse. #AHS811

"My name is Mara Gibney and I’m a registered nurse. I’ve been working in perinatal health, with pregnant mamas, for the past 30 years. We are referred by physicians to go into a patient’s home if they have a high-risk pregnancy, and we give them a lot of education and support. We work closely with the physicians in keeping women and babies safe at home, and when we leave their homes, they feel better. It makes people feel good, to know that they’re supported. I was a patient with this type of program when I had my own babies 25 years ago, and I saw the value in having a nurse coming in to educate the entire family unit, not just the mom-to-be in a clinical setting." #PerinatalNursesWeek

COVID-19 rates are climbing across the province, but Alissa Jones fears many Albertans still aren’t taking it seriously. It makes me really mad when I go out and I see people getting together in big groups, drinking, giving hugs, sharing food, sharing drinks, says Jones, a registered nurse in the Emergency Department at the U of A Hospital and Stollery Children’s Hospital. I feel like that's the best way to spread this virus, and we don’t know who’s going to get the s...ickest from this. You might be the one that’s ending up on a ventilator. If people aren’t taking this seriously, it’s only going to get worseLet’s all do our part so we can contain this.

On October 24 at 8:05 AM, three hours after the Wave 2 launch of Connect Care, parents Ana and Viorel welcomed baby Kiera at the Sturgeon Community Hospital. Baby Kiera is the first baby to be born with a fully digital medical record in Alberta

Being scared during a pandemic is normal, no matter how young or old -- you are. It’s all about the uncertainty, right? says Trish Dubyk, unit manager at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Adolescents and us adults, we still have the same kind of fears. If you need to seek immediate medical attention, remember that emergency rooms are open. If you’re a parent or family member of a patient, just remember that you’ll be asked to follow certain visitor restrictions, includin...g wearing a mask. The visitor restrictions are in place to keep staff safe, to keep each other safe, parents, families and visitors, Dubyk says. We’ve seen what outbreaks can do, and how it can be really impactful to a unit, a site, a facility, a community. And if you don’t need care during the pandemic, please do your best to help others stay safe and healthy. We all have to play our part. We have to make sacrifices. We have to limit our cohorts, wear our masks, protect the vulnerable, the elderly, the immunocompromised, the newborns, she says. Hang in there. Be patient. This feels like it will last forever, but it won’t.

Thank you. #MedicalDeviceReprocessingWeek

We can all make a difference in protecting our communities from illness this year, including by being immunized against influenza. AHS, pharmacists and physicians are all offering the influenza vaccine to different age groups. Learn more at ahs.ca/flu

On Saturday, AHS launched Wave 2 of Connect Care at 7 primary sites in the Edmonton Zone. With Connect Care, your AHS healthcare teams will have a more complete picture of your health history, which will provide care teams with the best possible information during your care journey. This information will lead to improved patient care, patient safety and overall better health outcomes. Connect Care is a new common clinical information system that will house all AHS medical re...cords, prescriptions and care history at AHS facilities, right down to AHS doctor’s notes. To learn more about Connect Care visit ahs.ca/connectcare.

Michelle Lynn Cyca is an educational consultant for the Rockyview General Hospital’s Respiratory Services Department. Her typical day runs the gamut: meetings, helping out in the emergency, NICU or ICU wards, or maybe educating staff on new equipment, policy changes or practice changes. Providing the most effective, safe patient care is something I take very seriously, and I love the diversity of my role, she says. As respiratory therapists, we have the privilege of workin...g with patients during all stages of life. In any given day, we can treat newborns, children, youth and adult patientssometimes all within the same day. Respiratory therapy is a very rewarding career. #RTWeek2020

Oct. 15 is Global Handwashing Day. To wash your hands correctly, roll up long sleeves, apply enough soap to cover your hand surfaces. Vigorously rub soap over palms, backs of hands and between fingers for 30 seconds. Rinse and pat your hands dry with a clean towel.

It’s #GlobalHandwashingDay! Proper, regular handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself from contracting COVID-19. Washing your hands properly involves a few steps, but it's easy to do and takes about the same time as singing the A-B-C song. This video shows you how.

Make time to keep you and your family healthy this #flu season. Visit www.ahs.ca/influenza to find out more about immunization options this season.

My mask protects you, your mask protects me. #COVID19 #Alberta

AHS has COVID-19 information in many different languages at http://bit.ly/CovidTranslated. Questions? Call Health Link at 811 and talk to a registered nurse 24/7. We’re always here to help. #AHS811

In an effort to provide the most efficient and effective COVID-19 testing experience for Albertans, AHS is transitioning to appointment-only testing and will no longer be offering drop-in testing effective today. With cold and flu season approaching and anticipated continued high demand for tests, this is another important strategy that AHS is deploying to best manage testing accessibility. If you are feeling unwell, please stay home & complete the COVID-19 online self-assessment for testing: ahs.ca/covid

By preventing influenza cases in our communities, we can help healthcare workers focus on the COVID-19 response. Get your influenza immunization. Learn more at ahs.ca/influenza

Now more than ever, we all need to get immunized against #influenza. This year’s influenza immunization program begins Monday, Oct. 19 for all Albertans, six months of age and older. Influenza immunization options have changed from previous years, learn more at ahs.ca/flu AHS public health clinics will immunize children 6 months old to under five and their family/household members. Book your appointment today. Appointments are required and can be made at ahs.ca/flu... To arrange a flu shot for anyone five or older, call a local pharmacy or doctor’s office. Anyone without a provincial health care number or who lives in a community with no other immunizing options can call 811 to book an appointment AHS Influenza immunization is by appointment only. To ensure we can operate safely with all necessary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, there will be no drop-in influenza immunizations at any AHS clinic.

It's official. AHS just launched Wave 2 of Connect Care, a new clinical information system that houses AHS medical records, prescriptions and care history at AHS facilities. This is the second of nine waves that will be implemented over the next few years. It took a lot of work to get here, and we want to thank all the staff, physicians, patients and families who helped make this happen. With this new system, patient’s medical records will now be online through one province-wide clinical information system. Care teams will be able to see their patient’s records at their fingertips, meaning they’ll be able to see the full picture of their patient’s history. To learn more about Connect Care visit ahs.ca/connectcare

Protect our communities and your loved ones - this year. Get immunized against influenza. Learn how at ahs.ca/influenza.

Transmission between family members and friends is still one of the most common ways COVID-19 is spread across Alberta along with transmission between people at work and other get-togethers. It’s up to all of us to do our part to limit the spread of virus. This Thanksgiving, remember that smaller is safer. Connect with family and friends in way that is safe call, text or connect virtuallylike in a video call, pictured above.

Struggling? You are not alone. Make the call.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to maintain physical distancing, says Dr. Laura McDougall. And when you can’t, wear a mask. We’re all in this together and it’s up to all of us to keep each other safe. Happy Thanksgiving.