Here's how effective COVID-19 vaccines have been in Alberta
New numbers from Alberta Health are showing just how effective vaccines have been in Alberta in reducing new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
The data was released Thursday as part of the province's daily COVID-19 update and is measured since Jan. 1.
- Infographics: COVID-19 in Alberta by the numbers
- COVID-19 in Edmonton: Numbers broken down by neighbourhood
The numbers show those most at risk from COVID-19 are either unvaccinated or were diagnosed within two weeks of getting a shot, before the vaccine had time to build up immunity within the body.
"It's clear that vaccines are remarkably effective," Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, told reporters Thursday.
"We can expect both the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 to decrease even more as more of the population is protected by first and second doses."
The province's daily new cases, active cases, hospitalizations and deaths have fallen in recent weeks due a combination of public health restrictions and rising vaccination rates.
The new data is measured since Jan. 1, and shows that since then:
- 0.2 per cent of of people with dose were diagnosed two weeks or more after getting a first dose
- 0.1 per cent of of people with dose were diagnosed two weeks or more after getting a second dose
Those who were unvaccinated or diagnosed within two weeks of getting a first dose represented:
- 96 per cent of cases
- 93.4 per cent of hospitalized cases
- 88.4 per cent of deaths
The province lists the partial effective of the Moderna vaccine as 82 per cent with the Pfizer shot listed as 73 per cent. Complete effectiveness for Moderna and Pfizer is listed at 93 per cent and 90 per cent respectively.
Dr. Hinshaw said Thursday the sample size for AstraZeneca shots is too small for proper analysis.
The data also indicates vaccines work well against COVID-19 variants:
- B.1.1.7 U.K./Alpha variant: 73 per cent partial effectiveness, 91 per cent complete effectiveness
- P1 Brazilian/Delta variant: 75 per cent partial effectiveness, 89 per cent complete effectiveness
Vaccine effectiveness measures how well a vaccine prevents infection.
Federal guidelines changed earlier this week to allow mixing and matching of different vaccines.
In Alberta, those who received one of the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines are recommended to get a second mRNA shot from either manufacturer.
Those who received a first shot of AstraZeneca have the choice of getting either a second AstraZeneca or a mRNA vaccine.
In a statement, Alberta Health says that to date, "a majority, but not all, of AstraZeneca first doses have opted to receive an mRNA vaccine for a second dose."
Alberta has administered nearly 2.9 million doses of vaccine as of yesterday.
Alberta lifted a number of public health restrictions that had been in place since early May and entered Stage 1 of its reopening program on Tuesday.
With more than 60 per cent of eligible Albertans having had a first dose as well as fewer than 500 COVID-19 patients in hospital, the province has already met the thresholds for Stage 2 of the reopening plan.
Stage 2 relaxes restrictions on outdoor gatherings, sports, and post-secondary institutions among other changes. It is scheduled to begin June 10, two weeks after the vaccination and hospitalization targets were met.
Stage 3, which lifts almost all restrictions, will begin two weeks after 70 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least a first dose.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several dead in Copenhagen mall shooting; suspect arrested
A gunman opened fired inside a busy shopping mall in the Danish capital on Sunday, killing several people and wounding several others, police said.

'Be prepared for delays at any point': Canada not flying alone in worldwide travel chaos
As Canadian airports deal with their own set of problems amid the busy summer travel season, by no means are they alone.
Alpine glacier chunk detaches, killing at least 6 hikers
A large chunk of Alpine glacier broke loose Sunday afternoon and roared down a mountainside in Italy, sending ice, snow and rock slamming into hikers on a popular trail on the peak and killing at least six and injuring eight, authorities said.
Blue Jays mourn death of first base coach Mark Budzinski's daughter
First base coach Mark Budzinski is taking a leave of absence from the Toronto Blue Jays following the death of his daughter.
Dog left with lost baggage at Toronto Pearson Airport for about 21 hours
A Toronto woman says a dog she rescued from the Dominican Republic has been traumatized after being left in a corner of Toronto Pearson International Airport with baggage for about 21 hours.
'There should have been one': N.S. mother drives son to ER after waiting nearly an hour for ambulance
A Nova Scotia mother says she had to drive her son to hospital herself on Canada Day when no ambulance showed up after more than 40 minutes.
'Cold-adapted' dinosaurs survived mass extinction event to achieve dominance, study finds
A new study has offered what it says is the first physical evidence showing dinosaurs from the Triassic period regularly endured freezing conditions, allowing them to survive and eventually supersede other species on the planet.
Vancouver police service dog named after Calgary police officer
A Vancouver Transit Police service dog has a special connection to the Calgary Police Service.
'Ungrading': How one Ontario teacher is changing her approach to report cards
An Ontario high school teacher plans to continue with an alternative method of grading her students after an experiment last semester in which students proposed a grade and had to justify it with examples of their work.