Thread by @meksmith

This morning's update with CMOH Dr. Deena Hinshaw and Education Minister Adriana LaGrange is supposed to start momentarily. I'll have updates. #COVID19AB

Here we go. Dr. Hinshaw is up first. She says since her previous recommendations, she's been watching local and international data, and two factors are leading her to change the plan. #COVID19AB

Hinshaw says COVID hospitalizations are 62% above what modelling said Alberta should expect at this point. She says hospital capacity is still stable. #COVID19AB

Hinshaw says she's also monitoring the uptick in children being hospitalized in the U.S. She said high hospitalizations for children is worst in areas with low vaccination rates. #COVID19AB

BREAKING: Alberta's "next steps" including stopping the vast majority of COVID testing on Aug. 16, will be paused for six weeks. Hinshaw says if the coming weeks of monitoring do not result in higher hospitalizations of children, next step will take effect Sept. 27. #COVID19AB

This also means that if you test positive for COVID you will still be required to isolate, and the provincial mask mandate on public transit and in rideshare cars will stay in place past Aug. 16. #COVID19AB

Hinshaw: "I am sorry that the way that I have communicated about these changes, and the rapid pace of them has caused distress." #COVID19AB

Hinshaw now addressing next month's return to school. She says moves like closing schools and cancelling extracurricular activities amid COVID had a major negative effect on children's mental health, while they're at a low risk of severe outcomes from COVID. #COVID19AB

Hinshaw says less than 1% of diagnosed COVID cases in children resulted in hospitalization in Alberta, and no children in the province have died from COVID. She says she recognizes the hardship for families that did have to hospitalize a child. #COVID19AB

"The best choice we can make to protect ourselves and our children is to be fully immunized," Hinshaw says. She points out the school year starts in about three weeks, and you need about two weeks after getting the shot to develop maximum protection. #COVID19AB

Hinshaw says the province will offer COVID vaccines in schools for kids that are eligible — 12 and older. #COVID19AB

Education Minister LaGrange is up now. She says "thanks to the power of vaccines" parents and students can "look forward to a normal school year." #COVID19AB

LaGrange says schools will not have to follow last year's measures, but they will still follow "good health practices" including screening for symptoms. Students and staff also must still isolate if they have COVID symptoms. #COVID19AB

The provincial government isn't mandating masks in schools, but they are requiring them on school buses. #COVID19AB

LaGrange says the government believes decisions about any additional health measures are best left up to local school authorities. #COVID19AB

LaGrange says she realizes many families are worried about their younger children who cannot be vaccinated yet. "Every parent and every family will need to think about their personal situation and take precautions that make sense for them." #COVID19AB

LaGrange is now talking about how much money school boards have reported in "taxpayer reserve dollars" recently. She says reserve funds have increased and she's confident school divisions have enough money to deal with the coming school year. #COVID19AB

Question time.

Q about kids hospitalized for anxiety in 2020. What was the difference compared with previous years?
Hinshaw says 2020 hospitalizations were slightly higher, not dramatically higher. But there was also a dramatic drop in pediatric hospitalizations for things like asthma.

Hinshaw says there was not an overall increase in suicides in 2020.
There is a lot of research that has been done that reflects this.

Q: Will you release modelling data that you've cited today?
Hinshaw says yes, she committed to that previously. She said an analysis and summary will be released but it hasn't been able to come together as quickly as they wanted, don't want to release in "fragmented bits."

Q: Why no universal mask mandate for schools?
Hinshaw says masks are a layer of protection against respiratory viruses but also come with "challenges" including communication. There was no provincial mask mandate for children in grades 3 and under. #COVID19AB

Hinshaw says older students are "most likely to transmit" the virus that causes COVID and they are now able to be vaccinated. #COVID19AB

Q: There are very low vaccination rates in northern Alberta. What would you like to see to change that?
Hinshaw says there are people who still have questions about vaccines and the province is making information available. There are also mobile vaccination clinics. #COVID19AB

Q: There are also different vaccination rates in rural areas. How will shots in schools help rural schools?
LaGrange says in-school vaccination will be available in rural schools too, resources will be provided to enable that. #COVID19AB

Q: What additional measures will be required if there's an outbreak in a school, and what constitutes an outbreak?
Hinshaw says public health has a long-standing practice of assisting if a school has more than 10% absenteeism due to an illness.

If symptoms of the illness are respiratory, then public health may recommend an additional "bundle" of measures like stricter symptom screening. #COVID19AB

Q: Elementary school kids can't be vaccinated. Why aren't there extra measures for them while jr. high/high school kids can get the shot?
Hinshaw says "reasonable people can have different approaches" to this. Universal masking can affect the youngest kids more, she says.

Q: When you announced that containment measures would be removed Aug. 16, there was huge opposition. Were those people right?
Hinshaw says polarization is one of the most difficult parts of the pandemic. She says she isn't infallible, but respectful dialogue must be fostered.

Hinshaw says her changing recommendation comes from reviewing evidence. She said she didn't give people enough time to think through her previous recommendation and didn't share the evidence in a robust way, which she is sorry for. #COVID19AB

Q: Is Sept. 27 a "hard date" for lifting remaining containment measures or could it extend beyond?
Hinshaw says monitoring that will be done in coming 6 weeks will determine that. She said modelling led them to expect decoupling of hospitalizations and increased COVID cases.

Q: School divisions aren't health authorities. How are you ensuring they don't face legal liability for decisions that could be perceived as outside their authority?
LaGrange says school boards are made of elected officials, so they have the authority to make decisions.

LaGrange says it's incumbent on school divisions to talk to parents and explain why they would go beyond health measures mandated by the province if they do so. #COVID19AB

Q: How will schools contain outbreaks if there is no longer widespread testing after Sept. 27?
Hinshaw says in the future, can't treat COVID like it is the "only" risk to children. She says schools need to be able to assess surge in absenteeism for COVID or other illnesses.

Hinshaw says quarantine of entire classes will no longer be required, even prior to Sept. 27. She says that measure was necessary last year, but it's too disruptive to continue. #COVID19AB

And that's it, presser is done. #COVID19AB