(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Troy Gillard

Olymel shutdown the right move, mayor says

Veer urges continued vigilance at ‘critical stage’ of pandemic

Feb 17, 2021 | 2:07 PM

Mayor Tara Veer says Red Deer is at a “critical stage” of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a community we’re among the highest numbers that we’ve had throughout the pandemic and it’s absolutely imperative, particularly in this window of time where perhaps individuals are asymptomatic, that people truly engage with the health protocols,” she stressed during a virtual news conference Wednesday morning.

“We have a choice right now to stop community spread, or if we fail to do so now then we will be in even more concerning circumstances in the next 10 to 14 days.”

Red Deer has 420 active cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday, just shy of the peak number of 434 on Dec. 19.

Nearly half of the city’s active current cases, about 200, are the result of the COVID-19 outbreak at the Olymel pork processing plant.

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Olymel announced an indefinite shut down of the facility on Monday in response to the outbreak, a decision Veer applauded them for making.

“I do think it was the right choice, and it was a willing choice on their part just recognizing that they not only have a responsibility to their staff at the plant… but also to the community,” she said, noting that The City of Red Deer had no involvement with Olymel’s decision.

“We appreciate the fact that they have a self-imposed circuit breaker not only to stop spread at the plant, but their follow up after the fact is also important to make sure that their employees are isolating at home, that they have the supports that they need to prevent further community spread.”

Veer says The City of Red Deer has been involved in helping ensure Olymel employees are aware of, and have access to, community resources such as the Primary Care Network for the supports they need at this time, which include everything from housing, income supports and transportation for COVID testing to language translation services.

Red Deer’s mayor reiterated the importance of everyone doing their part to help limit COVID-related strain on Red Deer Regional Hospital, saying it is currently handling about two-thirds of the region’s cases compared to typical one-third to one-half of cases.

She also reminded residents that any easing of restrictions and relaunch of Alberta’s economy directly depends on keeping COVID cases out of hospitals.

“We all have pandemic fatigue and I recognize that there is weariness in terms of living to the full extent of the health protocols that are upon us,” she acknowledged. “But we implore our community to continue to do, for each and every one of us, our part to mitigate community spread.”