Alberta Premier Jason Kenney joined the COVID-19 update on January 11th to discuss an expansion to the province’s vaccination program. Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians will now be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination during the first phase of vaccinations. 

“We are ramping up our capacity to ensure no matter how many vaccines arrive in Alberta, there are people lined up ready to receive them and health-care workers ready to administer them. Alberta is already a leader in the number of doses delivered – and we will continue ramping-up our vaccination efforts for the benefit of all Albertans. Our main constraint is the available supply of vaccines," said Kenney. 

The following health-care workers are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine:

  • Health-care workers in COVID-19 units, medical and surgical units, and operating rooms
  • Health-care workers in emergency departments 
  • Home-care workers
  • The staff of long-term care and designated supportive living facilities 
  • Respiratory therapists
  • Paramedics and emergency medical technicians

Seniors over the age of 75 and seniors over the age of 65 in First Nation and Metis communities still remain eligible for vaccination in Phase One. 

In total, the province has administered 46,791 doses of the vaccine at a rate of 1,058 per 100,000. By the end of January, it is expected that the province will have the capacity to administer 50,000 doses of the vaccination per week. 

January 11th new case numbers:

  • 639 new cases of the virus for January 10th
  • 13,917 active cases in Alberta 
  • 811 people are hospitalized
  • 130 people admitted to ICUs 
  • 23 new deaths in the last 24 hours
  • 1,307 total deaths from the virus 

Active case numbers in the Central Alberta area:

  • 37 active cases in the City of Lacombe 
  • 31 active cases in the County of Lacombe 
  • 240 active cases in the City of Red Deer
  • 51 active cases in the County of Red Deer
  • 485 active cases in the County of Ponoka
  • 37 active cases in the Town of Sylvan Lake 
  • 6 active cases in the County of Stettler 
  • 26 active cases in the County of Mountain View

**Not all cases in the Central Zone have been included.