COVID-19 screeners removed from hospitals, Alberta closes PCR testing centres

The Alberta government's latest COVID-19 changes mark a shift to what the province's health minister says is the "endemic phase" of the viral disease.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) permanently shuttered its 17 coronavirus testing facilities around the province on Friday.

Over the weekend, it also pulled coronavirusscreeners from the front doors of hospitals and other AHS facilities.

"We are moving into an endemic phase," said Health Minister Jason Copping, when asked about the screening changes during a news conference Monday in Calgary.

According to Copping, the province is moving to treat COVID like other respiratory viruses.

AHS assessed the situation, he said, and decided screening was no longer necessary.

"The policy still is in place for people coming in to mask but that is under review as well," Copping said.

Dr. Noel Gibney, professor emeritus of critical care medicine at the University of Alberta, said he's comfortable with the changes given the COVID-19 landscape in Alberta.

"If you look back at where we were, that's really a very different place," he said, adding hospitalization numbers have dropped dramatically since their peak.

According to the latest provincial data, 465 Albertans were hospitalized with the virus that causes COVID, including 25 who were in intensive care.

Roughly half, Gibney noted, have COVID as a primary or contributing cause for their hospitalization.

And, he said, many Albertans have simply "moved on."

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"I think [the government is] trying to make some pragmatic decisions but also decisions that would help them to reassign staff from duties such as screening to actually patient care responsibilities given the need now to catch up on surgical procedures, etc."

Copping acknowledged the changes will help on the staffing front.

"AHS manages where's the best deployment of staff to provide the services. At this point in time, it's not doing the screening, it's actually in the hospital. And that will continue help us deliver services for Albertans."

300 PCR tests per week cut

According to AHS, approximately 300 PCR tests were being done each week at the 17testing sites before they were closed on Friday. About 200-250 per week were in the Calgary and Edmonton zones. The other zones accounted for roughly 60 tests a week.

"As we continue to evolve our workforce with a shift to regular operations the majority of AHS staff working at these centres returned to their previous positions or were supported in finding other opportunities within the organization," AHS spokesperson Kerry Williamson said in an email.

Although reduced, laboratory testing for COVIDis still available in Alberta, according to Williamson, including through doctors' offices.

And COVID-19 surveillance will continue at hospitals, he said.

Masking requirements change

Health-care worker masking policies have changed in recent weeks, too.

While AHS staff members are still required to wear masks in areas where they may come into contact with patients, masks are now optional in spacesthat aren't accessible to patients.

Williamson said thechangeaffects areas such as health records departments, some lab services, corporate settings and vacant clinical sites.

"Masking remains in place for settings where there is patient contact as it is our priority to protect our vulnerable patient populations," he said.

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"We must take all the precautions we can to minimize the occurrence of outbreaks in patient settings as we continue to manage COVID-19 cases within patient care areas."

According to Gibney, while the overall level of concern about COVIDhas dropped, it is important to continue to protect high risk groups.

People who are at risk of severe illnessshould continue to mask in public and ensure their immunizations are up to date, he said.

High risk Albertans became eligible for additional COVIDboosters on Monday.

All seniors (65 and up) and adults with specific immuno-compromising conditions can now get additional bivalent booster doses.