Kenney resisting fresh lockdown order, for now

ED MONTON • The second wave is reaching western Canada. Alberta entered the Thanksgiving long weekend seeing a surge of COVID-19 cases. On Thursday, the province announced the single-highest day of new cases of the virus, with new cases added Friday.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said most of the new cases were in the Edmonton zone, a reorientation of the pandemic in the province. In the opening months of the outbreak, most were in Calgary.

“I especially caution Albertans against planning large get- togethers this weekend,” Hinshaw said.

“Now is not the time to be gathering in large groups, travelling long distances for the holiday or sharing food or utensils with people outside your cohort.”

Alberta announced 364 new cases on Thursday and 277 new cases on Friday, bringing the total number of active cases in the province to 2,225. Eighty- six people are hospitalized, including 11 in intensive care units. More than 16,000 tests were completed on Oct. 7 and 25,383 on Oct. 8. Since the pandemic began, 282 people have died from COVID-19 in the province.

On Friday, Premier Jason Kenney said he would resist pandemic lockdowns for the time being because of the costly impact on the economy and people’s well-being.

“That’s why we plead with people to exercise personal responsibility. I know we’re all tired of this, God knows I am,” Kenney said. “I’m just calling on Albertans to be Albertans, to do what they do best, which is the responsible use of freedom.”

As of Friday afternoon’s data, there were 402 active cases linked to 177 schools in the province, which has been seized upon by the opposition New Democrats, who have attacked the province’s school reopening plans. Sarah Hoffman, an NDP MLA, said she’s worried about students, staff and family. “I believe it’s time to take action to stop pretending that things are fine,” Hoffman said.

Of the new cases announced Thursday, 266 were in the Edmonton region, the city added another 157 by Friday afternoon, bringing the total number of active cases in the Edmonton zone to 1,329. The city is at a “crucial juncture,” Hinshaw said. In response, the province announced voluntary measures that apply to Edmontonians, though others in the province were encouraged to take heed.

Private gatherings are now capped at 15 people in Edmonton and surrounding municipalities, and people are asked to limit themselves to three “cohorts” — groups of people. Masks are encouraged in all indoor workplaces.

"Where transmission is known, household or community contacts appear to be a key driver in spreading the virus throughout the city. Social and family gatherings continue to be a factor in virus-spreading events,” Hinshaw said.

“We have also seen several workplace outbreaks where spread between employees has occurred,” she added.

“Right now, we’re making this voluntary to give Edmontonians the opportunity to turn this tide before it has a significant impact on acute care,” Hinshaw said at a media briefing.

When asked if “voluntary” measures were strong enough, Hinshaw said that would be up to Edmontonians to determine. There are conditions set out, she said, for when further lockdowns become mandatory, including hospital and ICU capacity ratios.

It remains unclear why Calgary has so far avoided a resurgence in cases. Hinshaw speculated that could be because people in that city were more impacted earlier in the pandemic, so were more familiar with the messaging, and more responsive.

“Edmontonians perhaps haven’t had the personal impact of COVID that others in the province may have experienced,” Hinshaw said.