Thread by @BarbLarochelle

Covid update delayed today. You know what that means:
-Shandro & /or Kenney appearance
-last minute scramble to cover up bad news/rationalize irrational decisions
-look up synonyms for ‘concerning’ in the thesaurus.
-Now that #ableg library is closed, stick with ‘concerning’

One thing for sure, however late they may be, it’s never late enough. It’s always important to emphasize disdain for Albertans. Their time is more important.

Luckily, I have a fast and easy to make dinner for this evening: Bucatini a l’Amatriciana ! Yum!

It’s Shandro. He’s pleased to announce we are ‘completing step 2’ into easing restrictions. (We’ve doubled the number of cases of variants in the last 11 days, so great timing!)

Shandro knows that it’s only natural there are some people who want everything open and some who think it’s too fast. “It’s OK to disagree,” he says. He believes it’s safe to complete Step 2 now.

It’s time to keep moving forward, says Shandro, but we also need to remain cautious. Now, retail capacity is expanded to 25% from 15%, including common areas like food courts and hallways. College & university athletics can practice and condition with max. 10 participants.

Distancing and masking at all times. Easing for child, youth & adult performances in preparation for filming and live streaming. Distance of 3m, masks, max. 10 people, no spectators. Can get exceptions for larger films, etc. with written plan submitted.

Banquet halls, etc. open for wedding services and funerals with a limit, but no receptions for these.

On March 22 at the earliest, we will discuss Step 3 so we can see what impact any of these changes might have. There have been more than 300,000 vaccines given out, so it’s a hopeful sign.

Dr. Hinshaw has the numbers. We are not yet in the clear. Easing restrictions increases opportunities for covid to spread. It does not mean we can be less vigilant.

Protection from vaccines takes 2-3 weeks, not overnight.
278 new cases on 5500 tests. 5.4% positive
6 new cases of variant, for 659 in total
R=0.95 for Alberta
251 schools have alerts or about 10%, she says. (It’s more than 10%)

She is giving ‘clear information’ on vaccine roll out. This is a clarification of a clarification of a clarification, so I’m not getting into it here. There are so many if, then, but, however, etc. that it’s confusing as ever. Good luck.

There will be sign up for AstraZenica starting Wednesday. There may be chances for more people to book. Albertans born in 1957 can start booking as of March 10, and any FNMI individuals born in 1972. It’s not at pharmacies. Book at AHS.

Next week Phase 2A starts March 15. You can book on pharmacies for age 65-74 or FNMI age 50+. There are 156 pharmacies outside the big cities for a total of 258 pharmacies. For AHS, they will book by birth year only, starting with 1947 or FNMI born in 1962 or earlier (me! Yay!)

Each day an additional year will be added. You can always book later than the start date for your year if you miss it, just not earlier.

In 4 months every adult Albertan who wants to be immunized will be, so be patient.

Lots of ?s in the queue. CTV asks about the increase in variant cases over the weekend. What % of Alberta needs to be vaccinated for herd immunity? What if we don’t reach heard immunity?

Dr. Hinshaw notes that 54 + 6 cases is actually 60 over 48 hours and we have about 20-30 cases of variants per day. They don’t have a number needed for herd immunity even thought he media says its 65-70%. If we don’t get herd immunity, we need to continue to monitor covid-19.

CBC Calgary asks about cases at Bowness high school and Cochrane’s Bow Valley. A dozen cases. Was there a large indoor gathering? “There has been a concern floated that that may have happened,” Dr. Hinshaw says. Kids (and others) shouldn’t be partying.

Reporter is asked if she has a follow up (!) Reporter asks if it’s frustrating to have to keep remind people about indoor gatherings. Dr. Hinshaw says yes because our actions don’t just affect ourselves, they affect others.

Rick Bell asks Shandro. He want’s to fast forward in the time machine to March 22 to the decision for Step 3. If the hospital numbers are still the same, how would they avoid what happened last week when people were mad we didn’t go with full Step 3? How would they message that?

Shandro says it’s similar to the relaunch plan in the summer. As measures are eased some will continue to find it either too slow or too fast. There has never been a guarantee that any step would be fully opened at once. They can’t just use delayed metrics, like hospitalization.

They have to continue to look at new cases, and other factors in addition to hospitalizations, Shandro says. Rick has a follow up to ‘clarify’. He asks about the hospital numbers again. He clearly did not understand what Shandro just said.

Shandro repeats the answer he just gave, which is still the answer, even if Bell wanted him to say something else.

Globe & Mail asks Shandro about finding our own supply of vaccine, like the province talked about in February. None of the vaccine they said they would manufacture in Alberta would be ready before we all get vaccinated. Shandro says it’s for future situations.

The reporter follows up by asking what happened to all the talk about making our own vaccine. (Not sure these follow ups are useful if they are just trying to get a different answer than the one given? They seem to just be repeating Qs & As)

Julia Wong asks Dr. Hinshaw wants to know what qualifies as a ‘severe chronic illness’ in terms of who can book to get AstraZeneca? Will there be a list? Dr. Hinshaw says they’ve been ‘working on it’ and it will be available ‘very soon’.

Indigenous people in Alberta have expressed concerns about how vaccinations etc. have been handled before. Dr. Hinshaw says they’ve been working hard to provide assurances about safety and effectiveness.

Last question from Edmonton Journal. How many seniors in Phase 1B have signed up? When they say ‘all adults’ can be vaccinated by the end of June, what number of adults is that based on. Dr. Hinshaw says those numbers are too specific for her to have an answer.

Shandro says the ministry has the numbers and will get back to her. The reporter asks if there is even a rough percentage or anything? Dr. Hinshaw says recent polling shows about 80% of census population is interested in getting vaccinated. No update tomorrow.