Full vaccination required for Alberta’s Restrictions Exemption Program

Southern Alberta Covid-19 vaccinations statistics

As of Oct. 25, Albertans need to provide proof of two COVID-19 vaccine doses to access many restaurants, movies, sporting events and other businesses provincewide.Anyone accessing a business, venue and service participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program will need to provide government-issued proof of having received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days earlier.

Those who are not fully vaccinated can still choose to provide a privately paid negative COVID-19 test from within the previous 72 hours or valid proof of medical exemption.

Evidence in Alberta shows that receiving two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine offers 90 to 91 per cent protection against COVID-19. Getting fully vaccinated helps protect you, your loved ones and the health-care system.

“More than 465,000 first and second doses have been administered since we launched this program, and I strongly encourage every eligible Albertan to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible. The rising vaccination rates combined with our public health measures are helping to drive down the number of new and active cases and relieve the pressure on our health-care system. I would like to thank every Albertan who has been vaccinated and is following the public health measures. Your actions are having a clear impact,” stated Jason Copping, Minister of Health.

“Getting vaccinated is the best protection we have against COVID-19 and I thank every Albertan who has made the decision to get immunized. With the Delta variant, the second dose is even more important, so by getting both doses, you are increasing your protection and helping make your community safer.” stated Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health.

Restrictions Exemption Program

Temporary health measures remain in effect for restaurants, weddings and funerals, retail, entertainment venues, and adult sport and fitness to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

The Restrictions Exemption Program allows eligible businesses, venues and services to be exempt from capacity and operating restrictions. Businesses that implement the program must continue to follow indoor mandatory masking requirements.

Starting Oct. 25, anyone aged 12 and older is required to provide one of the following to access events and businesses participating in the program:

•Government-issued proof of a complete vaccine series (with the second dose received two weeks or more before the time of service).

â – ¦Valid identification that matches the vaccine record is required for adults 18 years and over.

â – ¦First Nation, out-of-province and Canadian Armed Forces vaccine records are accepted proofs of vaccination, as is the ArriveCan app and valid international travel identity document.

•A negative privately paid COVID-19 test from within the previous 72 hours.

•Valid proof of medical exemption.

The program does not apply to businesses or entities that need to be accessed for daily living. A full list of in-scope and out-of-scope businesses is available on the COVID-19 public health actions web page.

Enhanced vaccine records

Starting Nov. 15, Albertans will be required to show their vaccine record with QR code for proof of vaccination at all businesses participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program. The records can be quickly and easily confirmed through the AB COVID Records Verifier app. Proof of personal identification is still required.

Albertans can get their enhanced vaccine record with a QR code online at alberta.ca/CovidRecords without creating an account. Anyone can also request a printed proof of vaccination with a QR code from a local registry agent office or by calling 811, at no cost.

Proof of vaccination from out-of-province, military or First Nations health clinics will continue to be accepted after Nov. 15.

Vaccination data are up-to-date as of end of day October 24, 2021

•6,465,123 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta

•86.6 percent of 12+ population has received at least one dose (73.7% total population)

•78.9 percent of 12+ population fully vaccinated (67.1% total population)

Southern Alberta Covid-19 vaccinations statisticsCourtesy Government of Alberta