Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Wednesday, Dec. 15

The latest on restrictions, rapid testing and more:

• Premier Jason Kenneyannounced on Wednesday that the province is loosening its privatesocial gathering restrictions, scrapping the rule that only people fromtwo households can get together indoors.
  • As of Wednesday,social gatherings can consist of people from any household, but groups must not exceed 10 people. Albertans under the age of 18 do not count in that tally.
  • The requirement that all people at indoor social gatherings be fully vaccinated is also being dropped.
• Kenney also saidAlbertanswould be able to access free take-homeCOVID-19 rapid antigen testing kits from participating pharmacies in Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary starting on Friday (Dec. 17).
  • If you're not in those cities, you can access testing kits through Alberta Health Services sites.
  • The province has more than half a million kits available to hand out. Each kit contains five tests.
  • Rapid test kits will also be made available at more schools and for vulnerable populations.
  • Thekits are intended for peoplewithoutsymptoms of COVID-19. Those who dohave symptomsshouldstay home, isolateand book a PCR test through Alberta Health Services.

• See how Alberta compares on vaccination rates and activecases with the rest of Canada, how many Albertans are in hospital and more in the other charts and graphs at the bottom of this story.

• CBC Calgary reported on Dec. 10 that theCalgary Catholic School District says it hasused more than 10,000rapid COVID-19 test kits provided by the province so far this school year, withhalf of those beingused by staff not fully vaccinated who are participating in the district's mandatory rapid testing program.
• TheCalgary Board of Educationsaid it is not providing rapid tests for staff.
• The Alberta governmentimposedthe restrictions exemption program,a voluntary vaccine passport system, as ofSept. 20tocombata disastrous fourth wave of COVID-19.A full list of restrictions and exemptions is available on the government's website.

The latest on vaccines:

• The province said Wednesday that 85 per cent of eligible Albertans ages 12 and older have received both of their recommended doses of vaccine through Alberta Health Services, community pharmacies and physician offices.
• Kenney also announced Wednesday that allAlbertans 50 and older as well as all health-care workers wereimmediatelyeligible to getan mRNA COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, provided that at least six months hadpassed since their second dose.
  • Eligible peoplecan book appointments for third doses online with participating pharmacies or AHS by using the Alberta vaccinebooking system.
  • Albertans can also call 811,participating pharmaciesor participating physicians' offices.
• Alberta Health Servicesimplemented its immunization of workers for COVID-19 policy on Dec. 13. In an email to CBCNews, AHS stated around1,650 full- and part-time AHS staff who are not fully immunized have been placed on unpaid leave.
  • A total of 175 staffat healthcare facilities where there has beena low vaccine uptakehave been offered a rapid test option.
• AHS tweeted lsat Friday that it had receivedreports of a scam in which textsthat appear to be from AHSpromise Albertans money for getting a COVID-19 vaccine and ask for credit card information.
• Also last week, AHS tweetedthat it wasaware of misinformation being spread that children are being hospitalized atthe AlbertaChildren's Hospital with adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccinations. AHS said it was untrue;there haven't been any pediatric hospitalizations related to COVID-19 vaccination.
• As of Wednesday:
  • 71.8 per cent of the province's total population or 76.4per cent of eligible Albertans(ages five years and older) have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Out of the province's total population, 77.7per cent have received at least one dose, or 84.3per cent(agesfive and over), according toCBC'svaccinetracker.
  • That compares with81.5per cent of the total population Canada-wide whohavereceived at least one dose of vaccine, and 76.2per centof the total population who are fully vaccinated.Among those eligible, 85.7per cent have had one dose, and 80.1per cent are fully vaccinated.
• The percentage of eligible people in Alberta who are vaccinated dropped on Nov. 26, when children between the ages of five to 11 were added to the population of thoseeligible.

The latest COVID-19 numbers:

• The Alberta government reported Wednesday:
  • There were 456new COVIDcases.
  • The total number ofactive casesin Alberta is4,082.
  • Alberta Health says there are 362people with COVIDin hospital, including71inintensive care.
  • The province recorded threenewdeaths.
• The Alberta government reported Wednesdaythat 10new cases of the Omicron variant have been detected.The provincehas identified 60cases in total.
• Most of the new variant cases, 34,are in the Calgary zone.
• The emergence of Omicron,named a variant of concern by the World Health Organization, has prompted the return of border closures, travel restrictions and stricter testing requirements across the world.
• A total of 3,286Albertans have diedof COVID.
• 332,629Albertanshave recovered.
• Outbreaks have been declared in two units at thePeter Lougheed Hospital in northeast Calgary.Onedeathis associated with theoutbreak.
• In Edmonton,twounits at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital have declaredoutbreaks.Onedeath is associated with theoutbreak.
• There are seven other outbreaks at acute care sites throughoutthe province.
• There areactive alerts or outbreaks in 136schools.
• There were 228 intensive care unit beds open in Alberta, including 55 surge beds.
• Provincewide, the R-value for Nov. 29to Dec.12was 0.96, with a confidence interval between0.92and 1.01.An R-value below 1.0 means transmission is nolonger growing.
• The R-value for the Edmonton zone is 0.99, and in Calgary it's0.96. In therest of Alberta, the rate is0.93.

See which regions are being hit hardest:

Here is thelatest detailed regional breakdownof active cases, as reported by the province on Wednesday:

• Calgary zone: 1,766.
• Edmonton zone: 1,221.
• Central zone:504.
• North zone:373.
• South zone:213.
• Unknown:5.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories:

The latest updates on COVID-19 in Alberta in charts and graphs: