Stage 3 of relaunch on the horizon if Albertans keep doing their part

He also mentioned skyrocketing numbers of cases in the USA, particularly in Florida where upwards of 15,000 cases are now being confirmed each day.

“We’ve done the drill and our health system is ready if we see a surge in cases later this summer or fall,” said Kenney on the possibility of a second wave. “We all have a role to play in this fight, we all have a personal responsibility to do the right thing.”

The province is now over 540,000 tests completed, and is averaging just under 6,900 daily since stage two launched last month.

There have been 45 hospitalizations over the last two weeks, down half a percentage point.

Kenney said the first main trigger for moving to stage three of relaunch is that the change in hospitalizations must be stable or declining for two straight weeks.

The second trigger, which the province is currently meeting, is the percentage of COVID-19 ICU beds that are occupied, less than half of which can be occupied during stage two. With 50 beds set aside provincially specifically for COVID-19, Alberta is currently at 20 per cent of capacity.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province’s chief medical officer of health, reiterated Monday the importance of wearing a mask.

“I am strongly recommending that all of us wear masks anytime we are out and can’t maintain a two metre distance from others, especially in indoor spaces,” she said. “[Wearing a mask] is a common sense precaution that should be part of everyone’s new normal. There is detailed information available on Alberta.ca to help anyone with questions about how to use and and wear masks safely.”

The second batch of 20 million masks available via McDonald’s, A&W, and Tim Horton’s locations have now been distributed and can be requested at the drive-thru or when inside the building getting takeout.

They will now come in packs of eight, rather than four, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said.

Four million masks are also going to transportation authorities in cities like Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer for use when boarding a bus or other mode of public transit.

“I’ve been asked many times if Alberta will make masks mandatory. To quote Dr. Hinshaw, we can’t enforce our way out of the pandemic. The vast majority of Albertans I don’t think need to be told to do the right thing, but we all know by now it is our civic duty to reduce our risk of exposure and transmission,” stated Kenney. “That means wearing a mask in crowded indoor public spaces.”

Kenney continued, noting the sacrifices made by Albertans to date.

“Although research labs around the world are racing to find treatments and vaccines and encouraging results are showing up, we are going to be living with COVID-19 for many months to come,” the premier concluded.

“The economic and social costs of a return to blanket restrictions would be deep and painful. We urgently need to get our people and economy working again, so I implore Albertans to keep doing your part.”

*An earlier version of this story indicated lower active case numbers in Central Zone. Numbers were updated on Alberta.ca/covid19 after the original publishing of the story.

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Stage 3 of relaunch on the horizon if Albertans keep doing their part

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