IPC Update

April 21, 2021 | Health, Safety & Environment Coordinator

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Dear Staff, Faculty and Students,

THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!

We understand that you want to see friends and family after months of not being able to do so. However, it is still not the time. Provincial guidelines say that vaccinated people cannot have any indoor social gatherings, yet. This includes both partially and fully vaccinated individuals. This will not change until the majority of Alberta’s population is vaccinated. Moreover, it takes time for your body to develop antibodies after vaccination, so follow the guidelines and reduce your exposure to people so that the vaccine can truly do its job.

I would like to remind everyone that the province is in Step 1 in its path to reopening. This is because the province is undergoing another wave of cases as you can see in the figure below. Edmonton zone also has higher R value (reproductive rate) than the rest of Alberta.

In Alberta, we have 3 variants of concern which have overtaken the original strain (56.9% of active cases). Evidence suggests that these variants may be more contagious and spread more easily than the original strain, causing more severe illness resulting in more hospitalizations and deaths, or both. Vaccines provide some level of protection from all variants of concern. Research is ongoing to determine how the variants affect vaccine effectiveness. So, personal safety is still our main way of decreasing the number of cases.

Until the provincial guidelines change, please be part of the solution and get vaccinated (visit the Alberta Health Services Immunization Booking Page to book your vaccine at an AHS Immunization Centre or at a designated pharmacy). Anyone 40 years and older is now eligible to receive the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine, regardless of whether they are healthcare workers or not. This vaccine has been proven to be effective, and is safe, with millions of people having received it around the world with no major issues.

Remember:

• COVID-19 is still a very real threat in our communities. Variants of concern are a major concern. Our continued vigilance both on and off campus is required to keep everyone safe.

• If you have COVID-19 symptoms, the first step is always to fill out a Fit for Work form. If you are unsure of what your next steps are, please contact the IPC Team at dentIPC@ualberta.ca.

• Wear a mask whenever you are out in public, clean your hands often and avoid any gatherings.

Have IPC Questions, Concerns or Positive Comments? Email dentIPC@ualberta.ca.

Sincerely,
Dr. Khaled Altabtbaei, IPC Officer
Ronna Richardson-Lozano, IPC Coordinator