Today's #COVID19AB update due to start soon, follow along for details and as always watch or listen live on @660NEWS. Yesterday, we had 62 new cases and two deaths as the province announced Stage 1 of the relaunch would start, with exceptions in Calgary and Brooks. #yyc #ab
Dr. Hinshaw begins today. 50 new cases found in the last 24 hours, and one more death. This is at a long-term care facility in Calgary.
There are now 65 people in hospital, with ten in the ICU. Hinshaw comments on the reopening, and frustration in Calgary and Brooks. She says this decision was not made lightly, and they had to find a balance in this situation as there are so many more cases in these communities.
Looking specifically at Calgary, there are 915 active COVID-19 cases, with 49 in hospital and eight in the ICU. Across the province, there are 5,205 recoveries.
Hinshaw encouraging Albertans to continue to follow health guidelines to help continue limiting the spread of the virus. Businesses reopening does not mean everything is back to normal.
Province is also asking businesses that are reopening to fill out a form detailing how they are preparing for people. The form can be found online at alberta.ca/bizconnect and should be filled out in the first week of reopening.
On clarifying the number of people in certain places. Hinshaw says they have taken a risk-based approach in the first stage. Dine-in restaurants can only have 50 per cent capacity, and while that could be more than 15, there should be enough distance to keep everyone safe.
For places of worship, allowing 1/3 of typical congregation or fifty people (whichever is less). Hinshaw adds people should not hang out after going to a place of worship and instead connect in digital ways like we have been doing before.
On the 15-person rule, this applies to any gathering where people are getting together for a common purpose but there is no authority watching over people. Can't share food or drink, and should still mind your distance.
On masks, Hinshaw says more people will be going outside and physical distancing may not be possible. Non-medical masks can help offer some protection, and stresses asymptomatic transmission is a concern that this can help mitigate.
And again, if you have any symptoms, you should not be leaving your home.
Apologies for stopping the livetweets, was on a phone call for an interview. Press conference is now wrapped up.
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