Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Thursday, Nov. 4

The latest on COVID-19in Alberta:

• Alberta reported516newCOVIDcasesandfourdeaths on Thursday.
• The total number of active cases in Alberta is 6,515.
• Since the pandemic began,3,137Albertans have died of COVID.
• 315,865Albertansare considered to have recovered.
• There are 146patients in ICU,and 677 in hospital with COVID.
• Alberta is reporting an R-value below 1. The R-value is the average number of COVID-19 infections transmitted by each diagnosed case.

• An R-value below 1 means transmission is nolonger growing. Provincewide, the R-value for Oct. 25-31was 0.87, with a confidence interval between 0.84 and 0.90.
• Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced Wednesday that more Albertans will now be eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster shot,as immunity levels may decline sooner in some people. The full list of eligible Albertans is available on the province's website.
• With pressure easing slightly on ICUs,AHS isreducingavailable surge beds toredeploy staff back to caring for non-COVID patients who need surgeries and procedures completed, an AHS spokesperson said Monday.
• The Alberta government has released an app to scan and verify QR code vaccine records. The AB COVID Records Verifier app is available to download on Apple and Android devices.
• Albertans can get their enhanced vaccine records with aQR code online atalberta.ca/CovidRecords.

The latest on Alberta's COVID-19 response:

• Calgary's citycouncil has voted to change the threshold for repealing Calgary's mask bylaw.In September, council voted to repeal the bylaw either effective Dec. 31or when Calgary's COVID case counts dropped below 100 per 100,000population for 10consecutive days. Instead, councilvoted Monday to change the threshold to 28 days.
• Nine Canadian Armed Forces nurses who've been helping care for COVID-19 patients at an Edmonton hospital are on their way back to their home units.
• As of Oct. 25, Albertansaged 12 and older need to provide proof of full vaccination twoCOVID-19 vaccine doses to access restaurants, movies, sporting events and other businesses provincewideoperating under the province's Restrictions Exemption Program.

• People who are not fully vaccinated can still opt toprovide a privately-paid negative COVID-19 test from within the previous 72 hours or valid proof of a medical exemption.
• Kenney'sgovernment imposedthevoluntary vaccine passport system that took effect Sept. 20tocombat the fourth wave of COVID-19.
• Operators who are eligible for the program,but opt not to take part, will have to follow measures that include capacity limits and physical distancing.
• A full list of restrictions and exemptions is available on the government's website.
• On Sept. 22,Calgary city council approved a bylawthatbrings in consistent application of the province's vaccine passport program for many types of businesses in the city.
• The City of Calgary's mandatory vaccination policy came into force on Nov. 1. It's requiring all city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, regardless of whether they work in the office, at home or elsewhere. On Tuesday, it said 85per cent of its staffare fully vaccinated. That's nearly 11,000 employees.
• The city saysemployees who are not fully vaccinated by Nov.1 are required to take part in a rapid testing program and a mandatory education program about the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines.
• As of Dec. 1, those who are not vaccinatedwill be required to continue to participate in the rapid testing program on their own time and at their own expense.

• Among Calgary Fire Department employees, 80 per centare fully vaccinatedand two per centpartially vaccinated.
• The Calgary Police Service reports 85 per centof staff are fully vaccinatedand three per centare partially vaccinated.
• AHS is extending the deadline for employees, medical and midwifery staff, students, volunteers and contracted healthcare providers to comply with its mandatory immunization policy until Nov. 30.
• A Calgary-based real estate company is requiring COVID-19 vaccination for all new residents as well as its employees. Strategic Group, which rents out more than 1,500 suites in Calgary and Edmonton, announced the new policy on Thursday.
• Hinshawannounced new measures for continuing care facilities that started Oct. 25. All visitors will be required to wear a mask in all indoor areas of the building, including in residents' rooms. All residents must also quarantine after returning from a hospital stay of 24 hours or more until they get a negative COVID-19 test result.
• The province announced new measures to protect children and youth from COVID-19 on Oct. 5. Contact tracing in schools will be phased in, outbreaks will be declared in schools, and rapid-test kits will be made available for parents to test younger children.

• Politicians and staff at the Alberta Legislature will all be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the time the sitting resumes on Oct. 25, government House leader Jason Nixon said Tuesday.
• Albertapublic sector workers will soon be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. The policy, approved by the province's COVID-19 cabinet committeewill affect25,500 provincialemployees who must all submit proof of full vaccination by Nov. 30.

The latest on vaccines:

• 68.7per cent of the province's total population have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, or 80.7per cent of eligible Albertans.
• Out of the province's total population, 74.2per cent have received at least one dose, or 87.3per cent of those eligible.

• Canada-wide,77.8per cent of the total population havereceived at least one dose of vaccine, and 74per centof the total population are fully vaccinated,according to the CBC'svaccinetracker.Among those eligible, 88.9per cent have had one dose and 84.5per cent are fully vaccinated.

See which regions are being hit hardest:

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

• Edmonton zone:1,468.
• Calgary zone:1,771.
• North zone:1,402.
• Central zone:1,176.
• South zone:695.
• Unknown:3.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories: