By Chris Brown

not until step 4

Day camps not permitted for spring break, Hinshaw says

Mar 16, 2021 | 4:57 PM

Parents and kids thinking that day camps will be open during the upcoming spring break had their hopes dashed this afternoon.

Camps will not be allowed until Step 4 of the province’s Path Forward. Alberta is currently in Step 2.

“I understand the desire for these camps and I know many people would like to have them happen during spring break or the Easter long weekend. But these sorts of activities create risks of mixing groups and it is extremely difficult to limit the risks of exposure,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw.

She said one case can lead to many and “we do not want it to happen in these settings.”

The chief medical officer of health said there are currently 509 active cases of variants of concern, which make up about 11 per cent of all active cases in the province. New variant data was added to the online dashboard this week.

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“The percentage of variants in our active cases is rising. The toll that variants have taken on the U.K., Italy and other countries are a cautionary tale that we must continue to take very seriously,” said Hinshaw.

She said aggressive measures taken have bought time for the vaccine to work and that in some ways there is a race between the variants and the vaccines.

“We need to limit the spread of these variants and all other strains of COVID-19 as we work over the next several months to immunize Albertans who are most vulnerable to ending up in hospital and other severe outcomes.”

Starting tomorrow at 8 a.m. Albertans born in 1949-51 or earlier will be able to book vaccine appointments, as will First Nations, Metis and Inuit people born in 1964-66 or earlier.

The chief medical officer of health asked for people to be patient as they try to book appointments.

Hinshaw also announced a change in how and when outbreaks will be publically reported.

Previously some were reported at five cases and others at 10. All outbreaks in workplaces and other settings will be reported when 10 confirmed cases are linked.

Thresholds for public reporting in continuing care, acute care and other child care, education, shelter or correctional facilities will remain the same.

(CHAT News Today)