Open this photo in gallery

       People line up outside an immunization clinic in Edmonton on April 20, 2021. A pair of schools in central Alberta have closed their classrooms and shifted to online learning, reporting that more than 10 per cent of students are away because of COVID-19.

       JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press

       Two schools in rural Alberta are closing their classrooms over the number of students not attending because of COVID-19 infections.

       The Big Valley School and the Donalda School, both in the central part of the province, report that over 10 per cent of their students are away because of the illness.

       Both are shifting their programs to online learning for students in Grades 1 through 9 until Oct. 1.

       Kindergarten and playschool will continue at Big Valley School.

       Coronavirus tracker: How many COVID-19 cases are there in Canada and worldwide? The latest maps and charts

       Canada vaccine tracker: How many COVID-19 doses have been administered so far?

       The move comes on the first day of the provincial government’s new proof-of-vaccination program that allows some facilities to operate without capacity limits and other public health measures.

       Entertainment facilities are eligible to participate in the program, allowing them to operate normally as long as they ask patrons to show proof of vaccination.

       Facilities including stores, libraries, hotels, postsecondary institutions and churches are not eligible but must follow rules like capacity restrictions.

       We have a weekly Western Canada newsletter written by our B.C. and Alberta bureau chiefs, providing a comprehensive package of the news you need to know about the region and its place in the issues facing Canada. Sign up today.