Thread by @EmmaLGraney

Jason Kenney will soon begin the latest #ableg update about #covid19, followed by Dr. Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health. I'll be tweeting along, or you can also watch it live here on the government's youtube channel youtube.com/user/youralber… #cdnpoli

Kenney begins. There have been 440,000 #covid19 cases around the world, but 112,000 recovered cases hooray that's good news (basically). Evidence points to "a dangerous but manageable" health crisis #ableg #cdnpoli

Alberta ranks 4th in the world on per-capita testing, but we have 61 more cases since y'day, so we're at 419 now, Kenney says #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Kenney outlining all the steps Alberta has taken so far. I'm... not going to recreate that here. #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

(Instead I cuddled my coworker)

Kenney says AHS was very forward-looking in stockpiling supplies, but gvt has since started coordinating the central purchase of PPE and other supplies for central services that *aren't* health (homeless shelters, police etc) #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Kenney announces tools to enforce the #covid19 health guidelines b/c y'all keep ignoring them (well... too many people do, he says). No more asking nicely - gvt now to use the law to *require* that people follow the rules. Peace officers will be able to issue tix #ableg #cdnpoli

Tix will be issued where mass gatherings aren't being banned, if someone's returned to AB and hasn't self-quarantined, if someone otherwise should self-isolate and hasn't. Also bars, gyms etc will be ticketed if not closed. Fines up to $1k per violation #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Courts can go up to $100K in fines and then $500K for subsequent offences. These are being enforced through ministerial order for now, but amendments will be made on the books thru #ableg soon. They will be dialed back post-apocalypse (sorry, I mean pandemic) #covid19 #cdnpoli

To Dr. Hinshaw... an outbreak at a adult group home for people with developmental disabilities. Also more cases in a couple of seniors homes, including in Edmonton and Calgary. She says that's why public health orders will be enforced by law #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Hinshaw says new rules around enhanced cleaning and more will be in place for all health care operators including nursing homes, designated care facilities, and addictions services centres. And GUYS stop sharing your snacks even within families #covid19 #ableg #cdnpoli

Guys I know it's weird to limit this in your own home, but it's a step we can take to keep each other safe, Hinshaw says #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Getting crazy with kids in the house? Hinshaw suggests two families agree to self-isolate to everyone else but each other, then share social time together. #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Hinshaw says now is not the time to plan a family reunion, to have a potluck, to have Sunday dinners with the grandparents. Also recommends online group chats WHAT AN AWESOME IDEA she says. "We will get through this together even if we're far apart" #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

To Qs. How would the fines work? Shandro says this would be similar to when someone faces a penalty under the safety codes act. #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

How will you know if someone hasn't been following the rules? Is there a hotline? Shandro says the AHS system right now *is* complaints driven and they get about 1,600 complaints a day. That continues #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Kenney says he doesn't expect cops will go and interrogate someone about whether they just came back from overseas. But if there are like, large public gatherings then peace officers could break them up and issue fines #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

This is about sending a message, Kenney says, that it's a legal requirement to self-isolate and *not* have big events. This is not a choice. #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Q about ventilators - do we have enough in AB? How would a centralized Canadian system work? There are 580 in the system now and another 50 are on order. AHS believes that's adequate, Kenney says. However #ableg gvt is working with the feds on this, he says #cdnpoli #covid19

AHS chimes in and says it's also important to have trained staffers, b/c shiny equipment is no good if nobody can use it. #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Q about shared custody: Should kids go from one home to another? Hinshaw says that's the kind of case where the joined family self-isolation plan might work. If not, please just try and limit contact with other people, just as everyone should be doing #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Hinshaw says a facemask can be effective in stopping spread, but *just* wearing one when you're well and out and about doesn't seem to have a lot of extra protection against a virus. You're better off washing your hands and not touching your face #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Q about when these extraordinary powers will be dialed back. Kenney says it's order in council now, but there will be amendments in #ableg soon. Premier says there might be a sunset clause included into these new laws #covid19 #cdnpoli

Shadro chimes in and says these kinds of powers are quite needed in the act, as is the idea of allowing peace officers to issue tickets (you might remember that peace officer part was in the UCP election platform) #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Kenney says he thinks the federal system worked well with the debate on the new act that was passed out in Ottawa (and now the sound has dropped out... oh dear).. #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Hinshaw says 33 of total ALberta #covid19 cases are community-transmission. The lab is going to get more supplies today, btw. Tomorrow is when the new testing regime for health care workers begins #ableg #cdnpoli

In Calgary, there was at least one significant cluster from a single event and then they spread to other cases... hence the higher community transmission. But Hinshaw doesn't think there's more risk of community transmission in Calgary. #ableg #covid19 #cdnpoli

Back to the group home #covid19 outbreak. One staff member and two residents in house have been confirmed, so AHS is figuring out whether or not there was exposure to other houses in the group home facility #ableg #cdnpoli

Q about whether seniors are being treated in place or hospital. Hinshaw says that would happen as per the client's wishes (like, if they've decided to refuse extraordinary measures as some folks do). AHS says most Albertans will be treated at home #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

There has been no directive from AHS to *not* transport a patient to hospital, whether they're in a care home or not #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

(LOL that was waaaaay too many negatives in a single tweet)

Kenney asked - hey! About my story this morning! He says a list of critical workers is being developed and early next week that list will be finalized. Here's that story btw theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta… #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

Kenney thinks the list of essential services will end up being quite similar to Ontario or Massachusetts (which I just discovered I cannot spell without assistance) #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

As for why we're not getting info on recovered cases, Hinshaw says that's not the best way to use testing resources so gvt is relying on local health teams to let them know. But those teams are super busy and concentrating on finding contacts of +ve cases #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19

About to wrap up, but first Kenney says the special isolation payment application is now online at alberta.ca, so please go check that out. Several thousand ppl have already done so (and the website briefly crashed but it'll be fixed soon) #ableg #cdnpoli #covid19