Alberta enters flu season with record 9,003 acute-care beds ready
Province adds 221 new hospital spaces and activates 194 temporary beds as flu cases climb and immunization rates lag.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Alberta is entering flu season with the largest acute-care capacity in its history — 9,003 beds total, including 221 new spaces added over recent years and 194 temporary beds ready to activate if needed. Premier Danielle Smith announced the expansion Saturday as the province braces for a winter after last year's deadliest flu season on record, when more than 20,000 cases and 282 deaths strained hospitals across the province.
Calgary accounted for more than half of Alberta's flu cases last year. The province is hoping a better vaccine match will help this winter, though immunization rates remain low. Last year saw 1,036,154 doses administered — the lowest since the 2012-2013 season — partly due to vaccine messaging that residents criticized as insufficient and confusing, along with changes that reduced immunization locations.
This year, the province has expanded RSV vaccine eligibility and made COVID-19 vaccines available at pharmacies, a shift that reduces waste now that doses come in individual vials instead of multi-dose containers. "Part of the reason for that was that they're now in individual vials, and so there's going to be less wastage," Smith said. Last year, vaccine wastage dropped from more than 50 per cent to around 20 per cent.
New programs aim to ease pressure on emergency departments. The province launched the Triage Liaison Physician program, which brings physicians and nurse practitioners into emergency department waiting rooms to assess patients earlier, order tests and imaging, and begin treatment sooner. A new Provincial Integrated Operations Centre coordinates hospital capacity and resources across the system. Assisted Living Alberta is coordinating patient transitions from hospitals to continuing care.
So far this season, 1,052 flu cases and 5 deaths have been reported, with nearly 79,000 immunizations administered.
Will the expanded vaccine availability at pharmacies increase immunization rates above last year's 14-year low?
What specific messaging changes is the province making to address last year's criticism of confusing vaccine information?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How many acute-care beds does Alberta have ready for flu season?
Alberta has 9,003 acute-care beds total, comprising 221 new spaces added over recent years and 194 temporary beds ready to activate if needed.
What new programs has Alberta launched to reduce pressure on emergency departments?
Alberta launched the Triage Liaison Physician program, which deploys physicians and nurse practitioners into emergency department waiting rooms to assess patients and begin treatment earlier. The province also created a Provincial Integrated Operations Centre to coordinate hospital capacity and resources across the system.
