Premier Kenny and Dr. Hinshaw
As the numbers continue to rise, a "Crisis of Unvaccinated" is overtaking the province.
Officials held a meeting this afternoon (Friday September 3) to announce new health measures to once again bend the curve. Officials are also pleading with Albertans who are not vaccinated to step up and do their part.
The rise of hospitalizations is reaching a critical point in the province.
- The province will make masks mandatory for all indoor public spaces and workplaces starting Sept. 4 at 8 a.m. Schools are not required to implement masking but school boards will continue to set COVID-19 management policies as they deem appropriate.
- Also, as of Sept. 4 at 8 a.m., restaurants, cafés, bars, pubs, nightclubs and other licensed establishments will be required to end alcohol service at 10 p.m.
- In addition, Albertans are encouraged to limit in-person contacts. To support this, the province strongly recommends that unvaccinated Albertans limit their indoor social gatherings to close contacts of only two cohort families up to a maximum of 10 people.
- It is also recommended that employers pause their plans to have staff return to work and instead continue with work-from-home measures. If employees are working on location, employees must mask for all indoor settings, except in work stations or where two-metre physical distancing or adequate physical barriers are in place.
Dr. Hinshaw provided an update with modelling information that painted a bleak picture.
Based on information available in mid-August, an updated projection of estimated COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations to the end of September was developed. Current actual data is trending toward the high end of the projections, therefore numbers may exceed the projections. Peaks in the model are only estimates, and actual peaks may be higher and later than anticipated if current growth trends continue.
Provincial modelling shows intensive care unit patients could possibly peak at around 180 in the medium scenario, although if accelerating trends continue, numbers could reach or exceed the currently projected high scenario at 290.
This modelling is now available online.
The province is going so far as to offer a $100 gift card to those that get vaccinated as soon as possible.
For more information go to alberta.ca.