“It’s not going anywhere. Knowing that we will continue to see destruction from this virus is difficult to see,” said Bakshi, an internal medicine specialist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton. “It’s a bit discouraging.” The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Alberta so far in 2022 is higher than the same period in previous years of the pandemic. There were 1,247 deaths from January 1 to June 6 this year, compared to 1,038 in the same period last year and 152 in 2020. “We have seen death from other viruses. We have seen death from the flu. We have never seen so many deaths,” Bakshi said. “I think the amount is still staggering for those of us in healthcare. That this is still a really strong virus. This is still a virus that can cause serious damage.”
Low intake of 3rd dose
Omicron has hit Alberta particularly hard. If you consider both BA.1, the original Omicron variant, and the BA.2 sub-variant – which swept Alberta back with its back in early 2022 – it is more deadly than the Delta wave in the fall of 2021. Dr Neeja Bakshi, an internal medicine specialist and doctor at the COVID-19 unit in Edmonton, says patients who end up in hospital are just as sick as any previous wave. (Submitted by Neeja Bakshi) “We are seeing – in this current wave – more deaths per capita than Ontario and Quebec,” said Dr. Daniel Gregson, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor at Cumming University School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. “With the Omicron wave and the lifting of all restrictions, we see a lot more people getting infected and as a result, we have a slightly higher number of deaths than in other years.” Similar trends have been reported in other jurisdictions, including Massachusetts, he said. There are a number of factors contributing to the high number of deaths, according to Gregson, including the huge volume of people infected with BA.1 and BA.2 and the low intake of third-dose COVID-19 vaccine from the county. Anyone 12 years of age or older can book a third installment in Alberta at least five months after their second installment. The fourth dose is available to all seniors aged 70 and over, to First Nations, Métis and Inuit aged 65 and over, and to all seniors in centralized care regardless of age, as well as to people with certain immunosuppressive disorders. However, Alberta lags behind all other provinces with only 38 percent of the population rolling up their sleeves for a third shot. “The lack of third doses has certainly played a role in our poor performance in relation to BC and Ontario,” Gregson said, noting that one in 1,000 Alberts has died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The latest Alberta Health statistics show that, in the last 120 days, death rates are higher in almost all age groups between unvaccinated people and those who have had two vaccinations compared to those who have had three doses. “Unfortunately, individual choice often leads to poor choices about not updating your vaccination. Our biggest blow to vaccines… has been the application of restrictions to people who are not fully vaccinated.” The number of daily deaths associated with COVID-19 has declined in recent weeks, but the baseline for both deaths and nursing remains stubbornly high.
“Take your downloads”
Dr Noel Gibney agrees that the delayed Alberta vaccination rate is a key driver of the high death toll in 2022. “COVID is not gone. It’s still out there. We need to protect ourselves. We need to protect our families and understand that a full vaccination now means at least three shots,” said Gibney, an associate professor of intensive care at the University of New York. Alberta. “The bottom line is… if you have significant comorbidities, if you are over 50, you run a significant risk of getting seriously ill. And for that reason, do your shots – which means both your third shot and your fourth shot if you meet the conditions “. Dr. Daniel Gregson, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Calgary, says high transmissions of Omicron combined with low Alberta intake for third-dose COVID-19 vaccine both contribute to higher death rates by 2022. (CBC ) Doctors urge Alberts who are eligible for treatment, including Paxlovid antiviral, to get tested and get help right away if they have symptoms. And they say people with immunosuppression should talk to their experts about taking Evusheld, a preventative treatment that has recently become available in the province. According to Gibney, while many people who die tend to be older, COVID is still winning the lives of younger Alberts who do not have serious underlying conditions. “Obviously, statistically, if you are 20 or 30 years old, your risk is very small, but it is not zero.” Bakshi believes that postponing health care during the previous waves of the pandemic also plays a role in the high number of deaths. “I think what we’re seeing now is a kind of pooling of really sick patients than anything else. And then, if they stick to COVID, the result is worse,” he said. Gibney expects the death toll to drop temporarily over the summer as people spend more time outdoors. But he’s worried about a resurgence in the fall – something the county’s chief medical officer has warned Alberts must wait. With 4,567 lives being lost in the countryside due to COVID-19, Gibney warns against underestimating the continuing threat. “If it was for any other reason – assuming planes were crashing, assuming we were crashing our cars … we would be extremely anxious and upright … This is a huge problem,” he said. “And the way a lot of people try to deal with it is basically saying I’m not going to think about it anymore. It’s over.”
