On April 6, Premier Jason Kenney announced that Alberta is moving back to Step 1 of the four-step approach of reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Effective at 11:59 p.m. on April 6, updated mandatory health measures go into effect for retail, fitness, and performance activities. Effective at noon on April 9, restaurants will be restricted to providing only takeout, delivery, and patio service.
“Cases have continued to rise sharply over the past week, the surge in the variance of concern has picked up its pace, and in the race between variants and the virus the variants are winning,” Kenney said.
“To be blunt, this wave is here, these trends would threaten the maximum capacity of our health care system by next month, right when we’re reaching a critical mass of vaccination,” he said.
The government of Alberta is working with Alberta Health Services (AHS) and anticipates expanded capacity of the health care system could accommodate up to 2,400 COVID-19 patients, and 600 patients in the Intensive Care Units (ICU).
“We believe based on the current trajectory, if we don’t slow down this curve, we are set to hit the maximum capacity of our system in mid-May. A great tragedy, given that it’s right around mid-May that we will begin to achieve effective coverage of vaccines,” Kenney said.
Adding, “These trends would challenge the health of thousands of Albertans, and lead to many more preventable deaths.”
Under the additional measures, retail services must reduce customer capacity to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy, one-on-one training with an individual or household is permitted for indoor fitness activities, and outdoor physical activity is allowed with up to 10 people, while drop-in activities, group fitness, high or low intensity is not allowed.
Adult performance activities, including dancing, singing, acting, playing a musical instrument, and any rehearsal or theatrical performances are not permitted.
Effective at noon on April 9 indoor in-person service at restaurants and pubs is no longer permitted.
Takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery services are permitted, outdoor patio dining is also allowed. Tables and dining parties must be two metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.
Household members can only dine together, or two close contacts of someone who lives alone, and contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party.
Places of worship must continue to be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance, indoor social gatherings continue to be prohibited, outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 participants, provided physical distancing and other measures continue to be followed.
Personal and wellness services can be open for appointment only, including hair salons, nail salons, massage, tattoos, and piercing.
Health services, including physiotherapy or acupuncture, social or protective services, shelters for vulnerable persons, emergency services, childcare, and not-for-profit community kitchens or charitable kitchens can remain open for in-person attendance.
K-12 schools and post-secondary children’s sport and performance activities, such as physical education classes, can now use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities.
Lessons, practices, and conditioning activities, but not games, may occur for indoor team-based minor sports and activities and school athletics.
The new measures are designed to give Albertans more time to get vaccinated.
Health officials will continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 to assess whether additional action is needed to reduce transmission.
Metrics based on cases and growth, including COVID-19 variants, are being monitored and will also be used to guide any decisions around the need to pause further steps or potentially increase restrictions.
“I am extremely concerned by the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Alberta. All Albertans must take these additional measures very seriously; this virus is highly contagious. Only by working together can we protect each other, reduce the spread and protect our health system,” said the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw.
“Alberta’s approach has been to find a sensible, safe, middle ground, a common ground that you can unite most Albertans. Our goal from day one has been to control viral spread, to prevent overwhelming of our health care system, to avoid large scale preventable deaths while minimizing the damaging effect of public health restrictions on the broader social and economic health of our society,” Kenney said.
“We’re in the last part of this, few decisions in this pandemic are easy decisions. Decisions can and do often have adverse effects, but the government cannot ignore the science, we cannot dismiss the medical advice, and we cannot ignore the numbers,” he said.
Adding, “Nobody wants to keep restrictions any longer than is absolutely necessary. I know this has been a time of incredible stress and anxiety for so many Albertans, announcements like today disrupt many people’s lives and their livelihoods.”
Kenney encourages all Albertans to remain vigilant and help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“I know we’re all so tired of this, everyone has what we call COVID fatigue, everyone is feeling it in their families, everyone is feeling some level of mental or emotional stress, and just so tired of the uncertainty of the changes of policy of the various waves of the pandemic,” Kenney said.
“Please know that we are getting to the end of it, we have to finish strong, we have to pull together. We find unity in our shared commitment to each other to keep each other safe, to emerge from this stronger than ever, I know that we can do it,” he said.
