Thread by @Tommy_Slick

Almost time for the Friday edition of the #COVID19AB update. Stay tuned here for the details, or you can watch/listen live on @660NEWS #yyc #ab #COVID19

In case you needed a refresher, here is the data from yesterday's update. Calgary remains a hot zone, with over 800 cases in the city alone out of over 1,100 province-wide.

There are 1,073 active cases in the province, with 62 in hospital and 9 in the ICU. 58 new cases in the past 24 hours. Also, results from asymptomatic testing are coming in. This has 50 new cases among people without symptoms.

Four new deaths as well, all in the Calgary zone at continuing care facilities. 125 deaths province-wide through the pandemic.

Some guidelines for businesses again, as Dr. Hinshaw says businesses are encouraged to fill out a voluntary form that details what strategies they have taken to mitigate risk. This can be found at alberta.ca/bizconnect

Some good news today! Outdoor gathering limit increased to 50 people, no matter what household you live in. Still, follow guidelines like spreading out a bit and do not share food/drinks.

So if you want people in your backyard, make sure you can still maintain distancing of 2 metres and get everyone to bring their own food and drinks. Make hand sanitizer available too. Hold off on gatherings if you cannot follow these guidelines.

This only covers OUTDOOR gatherings. Indoor gatherings still limited to 15 people.

Hinshaw has a message to graduating students. Credits them for finding ingenious ways to mark the occasion, and that shows resolve. She congratulates all graduates of the class of 2020. Hopes everyone has good long weekend (while minding physical distance and washing your hands)

There will not be any updates this weekend. And, Hinshaw will be limiting some of the daily updates during the week. Updates will only be happening on Tuesday and Thursday next week, and then Monday, Wednesday and Friday the week after.

On to the questions. First, @MKingGlobal asks about asymptomatic testing and outdoor gatherings. Testing: about 1,500 tests were done, and another batch is being examined.

On gatherings: This follows feedback from Albertans and an ongoing balance to protect people while also supporting their physical/mental health. There is less risk of transmission outdoors as well. Also looked at international examples.

Next, from @CBCRaffy how do you make sure nobody flaunts these new limits? Hinshaw hopes people understand this is all for their own protection, and any risks you take still put everyone else in danger. Hopefully, though, this will help pave the way for less restrictions.

From @KevinCTV, some details on cohort families? Also, can you be in a cohort family while still going to work? Hinshaw says this isn't an exact type of guideline, recommending that it's people that have similar habits. Kind of up to everyone to figure it out on their own.

If you are living alone, encouraged to have a cohort family to keep you more connected. Just need to be smart about it, and watch out for people in a household that may be at added risk. Not a "legal entity," though.

.@JWongGlobalNews asks a bit more on how we lift some of these restrictions. Hospitalization rates are a major factor, along with ICU. But they are "lagging" indicators, so we need indicators such as transmission rate, the daily increase in cases, and cases with no known source.

This leads into why Calgary and Brooks are being phased in slower, as the indicators are a bit worse. Outside these two cities, the spread is significantly lower.

With asymptomatic testing, the biggest thing to learn out of it is just the fact that it shows who has been exposed. Expanding the testing in order to figure out what the spread is really like in Calgary. If you want a test, then ask and you shall receive.

Moving on, @jasonfherring asks about McKenzie Towne continuing care centre, as the spread seems to have stopped. Hinshaw says this was the first large continuing care outbreak, and had a massive impact. What it showed was how symptoms differ by age and outcomes can change quickly

Staff member movement was a problem they were able to identify as well. This is why they put in the rule to limit staff movement, and that seems to have played a role in limiting spread. That rule was adopted in other jurisdictions too.

.@ByJamesKeller asks about non-essential travel. Hinshaw would like to see Alberta parks only accepting reservations from Albertans, asks people from out of province to reconsider coming here. Do not cross provincial borders, to limit spread. No need to police the borders now.

Final question about non-essential travel as well, and if this weekend is a bit of a litmus test. Hinshaw says again we need to think collectively about how the success from this weekend will pave the way for less restrictions. Celebrate the accomplishments by staying safe.

If you're going camping, think about who you're going with (your own household or cohort family), keep your distance, don't share food/drinks. We will be able to see, in a couple of weeks, how this weekend impacted the spread of the virus.

The more we can support each other, the faster we move into the next phases of the relaunch. That's a wrap. Next update on Tuesday. Have a safe weekend!