Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Wednesday, July 21

The latest on restrictions and reopenings:

• Some public health experts are concerned by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney'sclaim that the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, arguingit falsely implies the coronavirus is no longer a cause for concern.

• Dr. Gabriel Fabreau, an assistant professor in general internal medicine at the University of Calgary, said he and his colleagues areholding their breath to see whethercases will surgefollowingthe Calgary Stampede, the first major event held in Canada since the pandemic began. The Stampede ended on Sunday.
• A particular concern for Fabreau isthe proportion of Alberta'spopulation with at least one dose has somewhat plateaued. On Sunday, the province saw the fewest first doses administered since February, when vaccine access was scarce.
• The experts pointed to a few reasons for caution. In recent weeks,Alberta's COVID-19 R-valueand positivity rate have risen. Last Thursday, the province reportedan increase in active cases for the first time since May. As well, they're watching other countries that have had vicious rebounds after reopening.
• The U.S. land border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least Aug.21, according to a renewal order issued by the Americangovernment Wednesday. In a notice pre-published in the U.S. Federal Register, the government says while vaccination rates have improved, opening the land border to non-essential travel still poses too high a risk.
• The Canadiangovernment announced Mondayit plans to let fully vaccinated tourists visit Canada again soon. Ottawa says starting Aug. 9 at 12:01 a.m. ETfully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents living in that country will be able to visit Canada without having to quarantine for two weeks.
• The government said it plans to allow fully vaccinated travellers from all other countries to enter Canada without quarantine on Sept. 7.
• Canadians and permanent residents who are fully vaccinatedwill need to show documents proving they received doses of vaccines approved in Canada at least 14 days prior to entering the country.
• Officials said travellers must electronically submit COVID-19-related information to the government'sArriveCANapp before arriving,meet the pre- and on-arrival test requirements, be asymptomaticand have a suitable quarantine plan.
• Calgariansleft stranded in India after a travel ban was announced in April due to rapidly rising COVID-19cases in that country will have to wait longerbefore they can return home, after the federal governmentextended a ban on flights arriving from India until at least Aug.21.
• Alberta entered Stage 3 of its three-stage reopening plan onJuly 1, lifting all restrictions. The general indoor provincial mask mandate was lifted, but masking might still be required in limited settings or if certain communities continue it under local bylaws.
• The Alberta government announced on July 13that remaining restrictions in effect for continuing care facilities would be lifted in a two-stage process beginning as soon as operators were able to make any necessary changes.
• The first phase was toendremaining visitor restrictions,limits to dining and recreation activities, and additional screening for residents who go off-site. Outbreak protocols, single-site staffing and other measures were to remain in place until further notice.

The latest COVID-19 numbers

• Alberta reported 81new casesof COVID-19 on Wednesday.
• There havebeen no newdeaths. A total of2,318Albertans have died.
• The rate at which COVID-19 cases spread from one person to the next is once again rising in the province. As of last week, Alberta's province-wide R-value was 0.84, with a confidence interval of 0.74 to 0.94. It was even higher in Edmonton, at 0.97 with a confidence interval pushing the city's R-value potentially over one.
• Public health officials havereportedthe first cases of the C.37 coronavirus variant in Alberta also known as the lambda variant. Both were travel-related.
• There are649active COVIDcases, which is up by 43 from the previous day,and the testpositivity rate is 1.4per cent.
• There are 95people with COVIDin hospitalsin Alberta. Of those, 27are in intensive care units.
• 229,989 Albertansare considered to have recovered from COVID-19.

(Note the latest daily count of new cases in the above chart will usually vary slightly from the net new cases Alberta Health announces each day. For more on why, click here.)

The latest on vaccines:

• Alberta reached a significant milestone in its COVID-19 immunizationcampaign Monday with more than fivemillion doses of vaccines administered.
• Dr. Deena Hinshawtweeted Wednesday that the province's latest datareaffirms that vaccination provides excellentprotection against infection and variants.
• Hinshaw said one dose proves to be 57 per cent effective against the B.1.617 variant, and increases to 85 per centwith two doses. Against the B.1.1.7 variant, two doses prove to be 91 per cent effective.
• As of Wednesday, 5,100,111doses of vaccineshavebeen administered.
• 51.6per cent of allAlbertansare fully vaccinated, while 63.7per centhave received at least one dose (74.9per cent of those eligible).
• AHS is offering no-appointment, first and second dose COVID-19 immunization clinics with Pfizer vaccine at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre and the Genesis Centre, from Wednesday, July 21, through Monday, July 26.
• Clinics are also running in Calgary at theSomali Cultural Centre, 3940 29 Street N.E. on July 24, and at theCrossroads Community Centre at 1803 14 Ave N.E. on July 29.
• North of Calgary, AHSwill also operate a clinic in the Crossfield Community Centre on July 27.

You can see active cases by local health area on the following interactive map. Scroll, zoom and click on the map for more information:

See which regions are being hit hardest:

Here is thedetailed regional breakdownof active cases as reported by the province on Wednesday.

• Calgary zone:378.
• Edmonton zone:128.
• Central zone:46.
• South zone: 34.
• North zone: 63.
• Unknown: 0.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories: