Family Resources

COVID 19 Header Image

Stay up to date by frequently checking provincial, national and international websites. Links to the CPREM Facebook page and municipal sites in the Central Peace can be found below.

Municipal Updates:

Link to AHS Information for Albertans

Latest Information From AHS on the following topics:

Physical Distancing

All Albertans are asked to practice physical distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Physical distancing involves taking steps to limit the number of people you come into close contact with. It can help you reduce your risk of getting sick, and help prevent spreading the virus to others.

This is not the same as self-isolation. You do not need to remain indoors, but you do need to avoid being in close contact with people.

To protect yourself and others:

  • Keep at least 6 feet (the length of a bicycle) from others when going out for groceries, medical trips and other essential needs
  • Limit the number of times you leave your home for errands
  • Try to shop at less busy times
  • Order online to have groceries or other items delivered if possible
  • Go for a walk in your neighborhood or park while maintaining distance from others
  • Avoid overcrowding in elevators or other enclosed spaces
  • Follow Alberta’s recommendations on mass gatherings
  • Wash or sanitize your hands after touching communal surfaces

Public Health Restrictions (Mass Gatherings & Schools)

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Alberta has implemented new public health restrictions.

Gathering restrictions change on June 12 as we enter Stage 2 of Alberta’s relaunch strategy.

Visiting Residents & Patients

  • AHS has updated our visitor guidance. To help ensure continued protection of residents in long-term care and supportive living, as well as improve their quality of life, our visitor guidelines now allow residents of these facilities who are not in isolation to enjoy outdoor visits with a designated essential visitor and one other person. See Information for People Visiting Patients for more information.

Schools

Events & Gatherings

  • Voluntary health measures are in place for Edmonton Zone that are different than below.
  • 50 people maximum: indoor social gatherings, including wedding and funeral receptions, and birthday parties
  • 200 people maximum for audience-type community outdoor events, such as festivals, firework displays, rodeos and sporting events, and outdoor performances
  • 100 people maximum for other outdoor events and indoor seated/audience events, including wedding ceremonies, funeral services, movie theatres, indoor arts and culture performances and other indoor spectator events where people remain seated
  • No cap on the number of people (with public health measures in place):
    • worship gatherings
    • restaurant, cafes, lounges and bars
    • casinos and bingo halls
  • More flexibility for cohort groups – small groups of people whose members do not always keep 2 metres apart:
    • households can increase its close interactions with other households to a maximum of 15 people
    • performers can have a cohort of up to 50 people (cast members or performers)
    • sports teams can play in region-only cohorts of up to 50 players (mini leagues)
    • people could be part of a household cohort and sports/performing cohort

Effective March 25, the province has instituted new enforcement measures for those not respecting public health restrictions.

See guidance on permitted activities, activities not permitted, and high risk activites.

Info for Travellers

Returning to Alberta:

  • As of November 2, 2020 eligible international travellers returning to Alberta at select airport and border crossings can participate in the international border pilot project that will allow them to quarantine for less time provided they test negative for COVID-19 and if they commit to following specific health and testing measures.
  • Effective March 25, the Government of Canada has implemented a mandatory 14-day quarantine, under the Quarantine Act, for travellers returning to Canada.
  • ALL travellers who returned to Alberta from outside Canada in the last 14 days are required to self-isolate immediately for 14 days after the date of return and monitor for symptoms.
  • If you are quarantined because you recently came back from outside the country, or you are a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19, you must remain on your own property. Under no circumstance should you leave your property during the 14 days of self-isolation.

If you have symptoms:

  • Anyone who has symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, runny nose or nasal congestion MUST self-isolate for 14 days. Under no circumstance should you leave your property during the 14 days of self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen, have concerns about your health or questions about COVID-19, call 811. If you need immediate medical attention, call 911 and advise them that you may have COVID-19.

Follow these self-isolation guidelines:

  • Avoid close contact with other people, especially those with chronic conditions, a compromised immune system, or seniors.
  • Do not attend work, school, social events or any other public gatherings.
  • Watch for symptoms like fever, cough or shortness of breath in yourself or family members.
  • If, at any time in your 14 day period of self-isolation, you develop symptoms of illness, you are required to stay home for 10 days from date of symptom onset, or until symptoms have cleared, whichever is longer. This may extend your period of self-isolation to longer than 14 days.
  • If your symptoms worsen, have concerns about your health or questions about COVID, call Health Link 811. Call from home before going to a health care facility, unless severely ill.
  • If severely ill and in need of immediate medical attention call 911 and inform them that you may have COVID-19.

If you are unsure if you should be self-isolating, or if you have questions about how to do it, follow these guidelines or call Health Link 811.

Further information for travellers returning to work and school can be found on the Alberta COVID-19 website.

Departing Travellers

Albertans are NOT recommended to travel outside of the country at this time:

Find more information on Alberta.ca

Prevention

To help protect you and your family against all respiratory illnesses, including flu and COVID-19, you should:

Wearing Masks

When sick, wearing a mask helps prevent us from passing illnesses on to other people. This is why we ask people who have a cough or respiratory symptoms to wear a mask and wash their hands when visiting an emergency department or clinic.

Wearing a non-medical mask, such as a homemade cloth mask, has not been proven to protect the person wearing it. However, wearing a non-medical mask may be helpful in protecting others around you. This is because face coverings are another way to cover your mouth and nose to prevent respiratory droplets from contaminating other people or surfaces. Additionally, wearing a mask may stop you from touching your nose and mouth.

If you choose to wear a non-medical mask or face covering:

  • Ensure your mask is well-fitted and does not gape at the sides.
  • Be aware that masks can become contaminated on the outside. Avoid moving or adjusting the mask. Assume the mask has been contaminated and take proper precautions.
  • Critically, if you wear a mask, you must wash your hands before putting it on, as well as before and after taking it off.
  • Cloth masks should be worn only a short time, as there is some evidence that they can trap virus particles after they become damp, which may put the wearer at greater risk.
  • For those choosing to wear non-medical masks, it may be prudent to carry a bag with several clean masks in it, as well as a plastic bag that can be used to safely store used masks until they can be washed at home.
  • It is critical that used masks be carefully handled to avoid spreading infection to others.
  • See appropriate infection prevention and control precautions for health-care settings

Symptoms

Symptoms for COVID-19 are similar to those for influenza or other respiratory illnesses.

Anyone who has the following symptoms are legally required to self-isolate and should be tested for COVID-19.

  • fever
  • new onset of cough or worsening chronic cough
  • new or worsening shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • sore throat
  • runny nose

If you are not tested for COVID-19, you MUST self-isolate for 10 days following the start of these symptoms and until you are feeling better (whichever is longer). If you are tested, further instructions are available at ahs.ca/results based on your test results.

People with other symptoms are also recommended to be tested. These include:

  • chills
  • painful swallowing
  • stuffy nose
  • headache
  • muscle or joint ache
  • feeling unwell, fatigue or severe exhaustion
  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or unexplained loss of appetite
  • loss of sense of smell or taste
  • conjunctivitis (pink eye)

If you have these symptoms, it is strongly advised that you stay home and minimize contact with others until you are feeling better. Complete the COVID-19 Self-Assessment for more information.

Everyone (including those under 18 years of age) in mandatory isolation and in need of COVID-19 testing, or critical care for pre-existing medical conditions or emergency care, should carefully follow the rules in the exemption orders.

  • Pre-arrange your appointment and leaving your isolation area only on the date and at the time of your appointment.
  • Follow all instructions provided by 811 or health-care providers.
  • Use private transportation where practical.
  • Maintain physical distance from others when shared transportation is necessary – travel directly to your appointment with no stops.
  • Follow instructions provided by 911 if you require emergency care.

If you need immediate medical attention, call 911 and advise them that you may have COVID-19. Do not visit a hospital, doctor’s office, lab or healthcare facility for non-urgent medical needs without consulting Health Link 811 first.

Most people (about 80%) recover from this disease without needing special treatment. However, it can cause serious illness. Those who are older, and those with other medical problems are more likely to develop serious illness, which can include:

  • difficulty breathing
  • pneumonia

There is a risk of death in severe cases.

While we are still learning about how COVID-19 affects people, older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) appear to develop serious illness more often than others.

Self-Assessment Tool

Follow all public health guidelines if you are experiencing symptoms. 

  • To determine whether you should be tested for COVID-19, use the Alberta Health Services self-assessment tool.
  • Call Health Link at 8-1-1 for instructions if you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing and have travelled outside of Canada, or were exposed to someone who has COVID-19. 
  • Only call 9-1-1 if you are in immediate need of medical, fire, or police.

Resources for Families

The children’s story COVIBOOK, provides a clear, illustrated understanding of COVID-19. Written by Manuela Molina, this book is available in both French and English.

Post-Secondary and Colleges 

For residents that are attending post-secondary, please follow the guidance or advice being provided to you by your post-secondary institution. 

Financial Assistance 

Emergency Financial Assistance 

Employment Insurance (EI) 

  • Sickness benefits provide up to 15 weeks of income replacement and is available to eligible claimants who are unable to work because of illness, injury or quarantine, to allow them time to restore their health and return to work. Canadians quarantined can apply for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits

Utility Updates

Stay up to date on information from your utility providers.

Please refer to the following Trusted Sources of Information regarding COVID-19.

Government of Alberta

Alberta Health Services

Government of Canada

World Health Organization 

To dispel some of the myths and misinformation about COVID-19 the World Health Organization has posted a page about the virus called Myth busters.