Reopening plan a response to the science of vaccines, says Kenney; Hinshaw calls it prudent

Kenney said the government is not coercing people into getting the vaccine by tying the reopening to the rate of vaccinations administered.

He said getting the vaccine is a voluntary decision and the legislature is set to pass an amendment to the Public Health Act to remove the power of government to coerce people to get the vaccine.

But, he said, the most powerful thing people can do to protect those close to you and the broader society and contribute to a safe reopening is to get the vaccine.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says she and her team were fully engaged in the development of the Open For Summer plan and that she supports it.

“I believe that this plan will work for Alberta, but it will take all of us,” said Hinshaw.

“I believe this plan is a prudent approach to reopening, with Stage 1 prioritizing the easing of low-risk outdoor activities and only proceeding to the next stage as thresholds are met and the two-week window ends.”

She said the stage is much more cautious than the plans in B.C. and Saskatchewan and their easing of Stage 1.

She said they also considered the health effects of the public health measures needed over the past year.

“It is my opinion that we need to be as mindful of recovering from the impacts that the last year has had on Albertans’ mental health, wellbeing and the determinants of health as we are of the direct impacts of COVID-19 infection.”

She said second doses are essential and are an integral part of Alberta’s path forward. An announcement on broader eligibility for a second dose is expected next week.

Hinshaw also said that she doesn’t believe the Calgary Stampede will be a risk to the health system if the proposed targets are achieved.

There are 102 active cases of COVID-19 in Medicine Hat on Thursday.

Medicine Hat now has had 1,212 total cases – the 102 active, 1,089 recovered and there have been 21 deaths.

There are four new cases in the city today and 20 new recoveries.

52.8 per cent of Hatters have received at least one dose of vaccine.

Across Alberta, there are 10,017 active cases, down 936 from Wednesday, and 213,721 recovered cases, up 1,448.

Alberta’s total cases from the start of the pandemic is 225,937.

There are 513 total new cases in the province today.

There are now 538 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, 150 of which are in ICU, and 2,199 deaths.

The province completed 9,017 tests in the past 24 hours.

The positivity rate is about 6.1 per cent.

Alberta has administered 2,615,747 of vaccine at the latest update.

There are 591 active cases and 11,515 recovered in the South Zone. The death total in the zone is at 129.

An AHS spokesperson told CHAT News on Thursday AHS South Zone currently has 30 COVID-19 positive individuals in hospital. There are 17 at Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge, with four of those in the ICU. Medicine Hat Regional Hospital has 11 inpatients, with three of those in the ICU. The Brooks Health Centre and Cardston Health Centre each have one inpatient.

The province-wide reproductive value from last week is 0.67. It is 0.62 in Calgary Zone, 0.71 in Edmonton Zone and 0.71 in the rest of Alberta. These figures are updated each Monday.

Crescent Heights High School, Monsignor McCoy High School, Crestwood School, Elm Street School and Dr. Ken Sauer School remain on AHS Outbreak status.

Mother Teresa School and River Heights Elementary School are on Alert status.

Regionally, Brooks Composite High School and Eastbrook Elementary School in Brooks and Duchess School are on Outbreak status. Eagle Butte High School is on Alert status.

Cypress County has totaled 286 cases – 28 active cases and the rest recovered. The vaccination rate for all ages is 43.4 per cent.

The County of Forty Mile has 155 total cases. There are two active cases, 150 recovered and there have been three deaths. The vaccination rate for all ages is 24.9 per cent.

The MD of Taber has 569 total cases — 23 active cases, 540 recovered and there have been six deaths. The vaccination rate for all ages is 30.8 per cent.

Special Areas No. 2 has 98 total cases – nine active cases, 88 recovered and there has been one death.

Brooks has 1,486 total cases — 43 active cases and 1,428 are recovered. Brooks has recorded 15 deaths.

The County of Newell has a total of 227 cases — 28 active cases, 197 recovered and there have been two deaths. The vaccination rate for all ages is 39.8 per cent, including Brooks.

The County of Warner has 453 total cases. There are 37 active cases, 413 are recovered cases and there have been three deaths in the county. The vaccination rate for all ages is 38.4 per cent.

The City of Lethbridge has a total of 4,775 cases. There are 168 active cases, 4,569 recovered and there have been 38 deaths. Lethbridge County has 1,233 cases, 55 active cases, 1,166 recovered and there have been 12 deaths.

Not all the areas on the vaccination data map match the case count map.

The figures on alberta.ca are “up-to-date as of end of day May 26, 2021.”

Read the full May 27 update from the province here.

Saskatchewan has a total of 46,163 cases, 1,382 considered active. There are 44,247 recovered cases and there have been 534 COVID-19 deaths in the province.

Saskatchewan has delivered 679,274 doses of vaccine.

by Chris Brown

Reopening plan a response to the science of vaccines, says Kenney; Hinshaw calls it prudent

Our Community