There will not be a provincial masks mandate this vacation season, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith mentioned Wednesday, leaving it as much as particular person selection.
“We have been very clear: anybody who feels comfy carrying a masks ought to be happy to take action,” the prime minister mentioned at an unrelated information convention.
“The recommendation from our chief medical officer of well being has gone out immediately to folks on-line, by Twitter, in numerous methods, to remain house once you’re sick and to be sure you wash your arms. And if you wish to make the selection of a masks within the selection of vaccination, you must do it.”
The United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) despatched a letter to the Premier, the Minister of Well being and the Chief Medical Officer of Well being (CMOH) on Tuesday calling on the federal government to require indoor masks to forestall the unfold to cut back influenza, COVID-19 and RSV.
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Emergency chair provision activated, employees redeployed as ICU sits at 100% capability
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Emergency chair provision activated, employees redeployed as ICU sits at 100% capability
The letter was written on the identical day that the Stollery Youngsters’s Hospital in Edmonton introduced emergency provides and employees redeployment because the ICU was full.
On Wednesday, an Alberta Well being Companies spokesperson mentioned inpatient capability on the Alberta Youngsters’s Hospital in Calgary was over 100 per cent, and the pediatric ICU was beneath 100 per cent.
“Medics work additional shifts. Members of United Nurses of Alberta have been instructed they are going to be affected by staffing measures comparable to obligatory extra time, quick discover schedule adjustments and cancellation of employees holidays. There isn’t any assure that these actions shall be sufficient to alleviate, not to mention remedy, the issues in pediatric well being care,” UNA President Heather Smith wrote.
“Even a powerful assertion acknowledging that carrying masks in indoor public areas and limiting the scale and variety of public gatherings attended this vacation season might have a useful impression.”
She additionally appealed to CMOH Dr. Mark Joffe did to publicly share “the seriousness of the scenario going through the province’s well being care amenities, particularly pediatric care amenities in the mean time.”
Joffe has made few public appearances since he was appointed on November 14.
The premier famous that faculties throughout the province are happening trip in days, “the place the youngsters will not be going to be in a classroom in a congregational surroundings.”
“I admire all the nice work that United Nurses and their members do on the entrance strains. They’ve been so cooperative and labored properly with the administration to ensure that we handle the rise in sufferers that happens throughout this time of yr,” the premier mentioned.
“However we do help selection.”
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David Shepherd, NDP well being critic and member for Edmonton-Metropolis Centre, mentioned the opposition has referred to as for science-based decision-making for public well being coverage all through the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A part of the problems we have had in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the continued political interference and politicization of many public well being choices beneath the UCP authorities, and we see that persevering with beneath Premier Smith,” Shepherd mentioned.
He reiterated the decision for an impartial panel of medical consultants to supply clear recommendation to the federal government and to particular person Albertans, and to permit the CMOH to be impartial in its public well being choices.
“As a substitute, what we see is a authorities that places its thumb on the size, makes political choices and chooses to disregard science in favor of its personal ideology.”
‘Should put together’ regardless of drop in COVID, flu numbers: well being minister
Well being Minister Jason Copping mentioned that whereas flu knowledge exhibits a downward development and RSV is “driving” pediatric hospitalizations, he expects the respiratory virus season to proceed to pressure the well being care system.
“We’re not accomplished with our respiratory virus season but. Even when we do get by a peak over the following few weeks – and once more, there isn’t any assure that, even when now we have flu and COVID coming down, we nonetheless have RSV – we have to put together for if now we have one other flu peak on this get season,” Copping mentioned.
COVID hospitalizations continued to development downward within the newest weekly COVID-19 replace.
On December 21, there have been 910 COVID hospitalizations – 82 lower than the week earlier than. It is usually down from the earlier excessive of 1,140 on November 22.
COVID ICU admissions rose by one to 33 for the week ended December 21. The newest peak in ICU was 50 individuals on November 23.
Youngsters proceed to be hospitalized, with 29 kids beneath 19 among the many COVID hospitalizations prior to now week, a rise of 12 from the earlier week. And 6 infants beneath one yr outdated had been among the many COVID ICU admissions this week.
And prior to now week, 43 extra Albertans’ deaths have been attributed to COVID-19, bringing the pandemic demise toll to five,351.
Of the previous week’s deaths, 24 had been of Albertans over 80, seven individuals of their 70s, 9 of their 60s, two of their 50s and one of their 30s.
PCR checks are nonetheless restricted to individuals at scientific danger or who stay and/or work in high-risk environments.
The seven-day common positivity fee on PCR checks was 13.25 p.c, down a couple of third of a p.c, and the seven-day tally of recent COVID circumstances was 926,3119 lower than the earlier week.
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