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Starting today

AHS engaging event organizers in close contact notification

Oct 26, 2020 | 5:15 PM

CALGARY – Starting today, Alberta Health Services (AHS) will engage event organizers in the process of notifying contacts exposed to COVID-19 at an event.

When AHS identifies a positive case that attended an event with 10 or more participants, AHS will notify the organizer of the event, and provide that organizer with written notification that the organizer will be directed to send to all event attendees, by email, within 24 hours.

AHS says this change will improve the efficiency of the close contact notification process for events that pose a risk of rapid spread of illness, such as sports tournaments, weddings, church socials and other gatherings of 10 or more people.

Previously, AHS has been contacting all affected event attendees by phone. Where email addresses are not available or notification by the event organizer is not possible, AHS will continue to make those phone calls. AHS will also continue to directly notify close contacts of cases who were exposed outside of any event.