In a meeting with PCN officials Monday night, Dr. Deena Hinshaw says she deeply regrets her words that suggested that COVID was over at the end of July.
Dr. Hinshaw says she regrets having taken away contact tracing ahead of the fourth wave, but doesn't believe it greatly contributed to what Alberta is experiencing.
She says removing restrictions is mostly to blame.
-1,434 new COVID cases in Alberta on 11,880 tests (12.1%+)
- 9 new deaths reported
- 822 in hospital (+19), incl 212 in ICU (+14)
- 18,265 active cases (-130)
This proof of vaccine card/QR code created by the Alberta government comes as several businesses here and other provincial governments are requiring proof of vaccine for discretionary services.
The Alberta government has indicated it will not have a vax passport plan.
In just the last *three weeks*, 110k Albertans have signed up for a MyHealth Records account.
SHandro says they are looking at other provinces and continue discussions.
They have seen businesses and others lead the way on this front, and they will provide a card and QR code to help.
How much is the UCP caucus informing decisions like vax passports?
Shandro says decisions aren't political- says biggest criticism over the past 18 months is that they haven't been making their decisions political enough.
Why should Albertans have confidence given what we're seeing in hospitals?
Hinshaw says people will have to choose who they trust.
Adds what she has done is look at evidence at every step, consulting with colleagues, such as she did with moving to endemic stage.
- 1,166 new COVID cases in Alberta on 10687 tests (1229 cases before reconciling)
- 18 new deaths
- 647 in hospital (+45) , including 147 in ICU (+10)
- 15,618 active cases (+132)
When will you ban vaccine mandates in Alberta- AHS needs to back off.
Kenney says his gov changed legislation to ensure vaccines aren't mandated for public.
That said, some employers will require them- like AHS. Says it's a long-standing policy for AHS.
Kenney says in northern Alberta, an unvaxxed worker with symptoms showed up at a hospice and spread it to six other workers and some of the patients- some who died.
Says unfair for patients/co-workers to be put in that position.