The city's director of emergency management, Merrick Brown, gave a sobering update on the COVID-19 situation to councillors Monday night. (CHAT News photo).

By Alex McCuaig

Council discusses mask bylaw amid record COVID cases in Hat

Nov 16, 2020 | 10:50 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A surge in local active cases of COVID-19 had Medicine Hat’s director of emergency management providing a grim situational update with councillors hinting it will bring in a mask bylaw if the situation doesn’t improve in the next two weeks.

Merrick Brown told council just hours prior to his presentation to council Monday the city had hit two records – 16 cases being reported during one recording period and 50 active cases at one time.

“It’s going to get tough, It’s going to get worse if we don’t change our behaviour,” Brown told council, adding if residents don’t change their actions, “the writing is on the wall” when it comes the city being affected by a lockdown.

Case counts have increased by a factor of more than six in the last two weeks with Monday seeing Medicine Hat reaching it’s current high – this after the previous record of a little more than a dozen during the height of the early days of the pandemic.

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Brown said residents need to redouble their efforts to wash their hands, limit social gatherings, keep two metres apart and wear a mask.

But it was Coun. Jamie McIntosh’s comments in response to the presentation which opened up the mask bylaw discussion.

“I’m at the point in which we need a mask bylaw,” said McIntosh.

He added that residents are, “looking to us to make a decision and we are avoiding it.”

While supportive of the bylaw, Coun. Darren Hirsh told council, “the challenge for me is enforcement,” saying he doesn’t want to see disruptive situations break out between businesses and patrons.

Coun. Jim Turner stated if it’s a choice between a lockdown or a mask bylaw, he’d take the later. But saying that, he added, “The easiest way for us to solve this is to take personal responsibility.”

While council heard there is a draft mask bylaw ready to be debated, it wouldn’t be for two weeks.