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Alberta COVID Deaths Decline: Experts Warn of Preventable Fatalities
8 May
Summary
- Alberta's COVID-19 death toll has significantly decreased since the pandemic's peak.
- Experts stress that most recent COVID-19 deaths remain preventable.
- The province's COVID-19 vaccination rate hit an all-time low of eight percent this season.
Alberta's COVID-19 death toll has significantly decreased, with 125 fatalities reported since late August. Experts note this reflects substantial population immunity from vaccines and past infections, primarily descendants of the Omicron variant. However, infectious disease specialists emphasize that these deaths, while fewer than at the pandemic's height, are largely preventable.
The province's COVID-19 vaccination rate for the current season reached an all-time low of eight percent. This follows criticism of the government's decision to limit publicly funded vaccines to high-risk groups and charge others, a move health experts argue deviates from national recommendations. The government maintains its approach aligns with advisory committee guidance on cost-effectiveness.
More than 1,400 Albertans have been hospitalized with COVID-19 this season, a number also trending lower than previous periods. Public health officials argue that improved vaccination coverage, particularly for seniors, could have further reduced hospitalizations and prevented suffering. Concerns remain about the potential emergence of more severe viral strains in the future.
