Wearing masks and getting vaccinated essential to reducing spread of COVID in Alberta

Editor:

Minister Shandro and Premier Kenney have declared COVID “crushed” and the curtain will soon descend on any restrictions whatsoever.

Our mask mandates have long been consigned to the trash heap of history and MOH Dr. HInshaw advises that any previous preventative measures will now be voluntary even as once again, cases are beginning to rise.

That in of itself is not critical but with the rise of the current, more dangerous variant and schools shortly returning, it is entirely possible that hospitalizations and ICU admissions will rise also.

A recent map in the Globe and Mail is telling, very telling. Specifically, it shows Alberta’s regional vaccination rate outlining MDs and counties surrounding Lethbridge. The city’s rate is pretty good, 60 to 70 per cent of the population having received at least one dose. (As of July 27.)

That changes considerably in all rural areas surrounding Lethbridge whose rates are between 40 and 60 per cent.

Such vaccine hesitancy is a leading cause of concern among medical professionals. Lack of so called herd immunity and more variant incursions, possibly leading to greater stress on our health care system should be a concern for the entire population.

Lethbridge is a destination for shoppers, leisure and business dealings from these under – vaccinated areas, potentially putting in my opinion, the local health system under what should be an avoidable strain.

Increasing “jabs in arms” and continuing use of masks , especially indoors, should be followed – despite the reluctance of provincial and local officials to declare mask use mandatory.

Vaccines are not 100 per cent and mask wearing is certainly not either but when combined in an uncertain environment, they can reduce the viral load in circulation and greatly decrease the chance of exposure and severe disease.

Consider the following facts, yes “facts”: Doubly vaccinated “breakthrough cases” in the USA (24 states reporting) are rare.

Most of these states report that around 99 per cent are in individuals not vaccinated.

Hospitalizations include around 97 per cent in non vaccinated individuals and deaths around 99 per cent in the same group.

Reported side effects, oft quoted by anti-vaxxers, although not unheard of, are extremely rare and mostly treatable.

Finally, as of today (Aug. 3) , Florida hospitalizations are increasing “10 fold”, 95 per cent of whom are unvaccinated. Earlier, Florida enacted a law forbidding the mandating of mask wearing.

The verdict? Vaccines save lives. Masks worn indoors in public spaces reduce spread and lessen the risk of exposure.

John P Nightingale

Lethbridge