COVID-19 Live Updates: News on coronavirus in Calgary for Feb. 25

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With news on COVID-19 happening rapidly, we’ve created this page to bring you our latest stories and information on the outbreak in and around Calgary.

What’s happening now

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My COVID Story: How have you been impacted by coronavirus?

Postmedia is looking to speak with people who may have been impacted by COVID-19 here in Alberta.  Have you undergone a travel-related quarantine? Have you received your vaccine, and if so did you feel any side effects? Have you changed your life for the better because of the pandemic? Send us an email at reply@calgaryherald.com to tell us your experience, or send us a message via this form.

Read our ongoing coverage of personal stories arising from the pandemic.

No live update from Hinshaw today

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Calgary bar gets second warning from AHS

A Calgary bar that was ordered to temporarily close in December for not following pandemic protocols got another warning this month.

Outlaws Taphouse and Bar located at #110 1830 52 St. S.E. was ordered to submit a written relaunch plan after a health inspector noted deficiencies at the establishment.

According to the AHS inspector’s report, a staff member was observed working the bar and providing table service without wearing a face mask.

The inspector also found that dine-in customer contact information had not been recorded for at least six days. Recording customer contact information is a requirement meant to help contact tracers find patrons who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Although not ordered to close, Outlaws has been given until Friday to submit another written relaunch document, to ensure all staff are masked and to record contact information from dine-in patrons.

Wednesday

AHS adds queue software to vaccine booking tool

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Wednesday

One year anniversary of earliest known COVID-19 case in Alberta

Today is the one-year anniversary of the earliest known COVID-19 case in Alberta.

Alberta chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said during her Sept. 10, 2020 update that Alberta Health Services screened 23,000 samples collected between Dec. 1, 2019 and March 7, 2020 for other respiratory illnesses. The only case of COVID-19 they found in those samples was in one dated Feb. 24.

The person had travelled abroad and was original tested for influenza.

The first case reported in Alberta was on March 5, 2020 in a Calgary woman who had returned from a California cruise.

Wednesday

One-time payment to working parents not enough to help families struggling to cover costs: advocate

A one-time payment of $561-per-child to working parents with children in daycare or preschool from the province is a temporary “Band-Aid” on the much larger issue of inaccessible childcare, an advocate for Alberta parents said Wednesday.

The provincial government announced a $108-million benefit to supplement the expenses of childcare during a time of pandemic uncertainty on Wednesday. The Working Parents Benefit offers a one-time payment to families with an annual income of $100,000 or less, and will open to applications from March 1 to 5.

Read more.

Wednesday

CBE fears funding shortfall after enrolment dip and rising COVID costs

Calgary public schools could face funding shortfalls of about $18 million in Thursday’s provincial budget if a new funding framework sees them get less because of lower enrolment.

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And with no plans for students under 16 years of age to receive COVID vaccines by next fall, pandemic costs are also expected to rise into the next academic year.

Read more.

Wednesday

430 new cases, 13 deaths

There was no update Wednesday from Alberta chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw. Her next scheduled update is Monday, March 1.

The latest COVID-19 numbers for Alberta were posted online:

• 430 new cases on 9,467 tests
• 307 in hospital; 56 in ICUs
• 13 additional deaths; 1,866 total
• 4,545 active cases; 125,622 recovered
• 22 new variant cases, all of the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the U.K.
• 323 total variant cases; 316 U.K. and 7 of the B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa

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Wednesday

Delays in booking not slowing down actual vaccinations, Shandro says

Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro spoke about the rollout of the vaccine rollout on Wednesday afternoon.

He was joined by Margaret Wing, CEO of the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association.

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Watch the full livestream below.

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Wednesday

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Which Calgary pharmacies are offering the vaccine?

N.W.

N.E.

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S.W.

S.E.

• Co-op Pharmacy #14, 100-250 Shawville Blvd. S.E., 403-299-4439, website
• Co-op Pharmacy #23, 410-163 Quarry Park Blvd. S.E., 403-203-4838, website
• Co-op Pharmacy #3, 8818 Macleod Tr. S.E., 403-299-4289, website
• Co-op Pharmacy #5, 3330 17 Ave. S.E., 403-299-4467, website
• Costco Pharmacy #1217, 75 East Hills Blvd. S.E., 587-470-4460
• Loblaw Pharmacy 1546, 4700 130 Ave. S.E., 403-257-6530, website
• Rexall #7285, 70 High St. S.E., 403-257-3636
• Sandstone Pharmacies Enhanced Care Solutions, 105/107-4405 9 St. S.E., 403-236-0846, website
• Shoppers Drug Mart #314, 5-3012 17 Ave. S.E., 403-248-4757, website