Thread by @sarahcrgr

Alberta has declared a state of public health emergency due to the surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. #abpoli #ableg

Premier Kenney says there are 269 ICU patients, thousands of surgeries postponed, and the province could run out of staffed beds in less than 10 days. #ableg

"COVID is hitting Alberta harder than anywhere in Canada because we have the lowest rate of vaccination in Canada," Premier Kenney says. #ableg

The Alberta government is adopting a "proof of vaccination" program for some non-essential activities. #ableg

The government is bringing in new restrictions like capacity limits, work from home, and distancing. Kenney says the health minister will detail those soon. #ableg

As of midnight tonight, physical distancing is required in all indoor public spaces. All private indoor social gatherings for vaccinated individuals are limited to two households, a max of 10 people. Individuals who live alone can have 2 non-household, vaccinated close contacts.

Unvaccinated people age 12+ can't attend indoor social gatherings. Outdoor gatherings can be up to 200 people, distancing required.

Mandatory masking for all schools grades 4+, elementary schools returning to cohorts.

Province is moving to a MANDATORY work from home order unless the employer says in-person attendance is required for operational effectiveness. Masking required in indoor workplaces.

Starting Sept. 20, indoor weddings and funerals limited to 50 people or 50% of fire code.

Indoor dining is once again closed. Outdoor dining can continue, with close contacts only.

There will be a province-wide restrictions exemption program with proof of vaccination. "What this means is anyone with valid proof of immunization [or a negative test] can access some services ... without having to physically distance," minister Shandro says. #ableg

A full list of Alberta's new health restrictions is here: alberta.ca/covid-19-publi… #ableg #abpoli #COVID19AB

Shandro says in the coming weeks the province will be introducing proof of vaccination in a QR code format, like B.C. However they still aren't calling it a vaccine passport. #abpoli #ableg

Now Hinshaw is speaking about the 24 deaths reported due to COVID-19. She's reiterating the importance of getting vaccinated to save lives. If you need to get vaccinated, click here to book it: albertahealthservices.ca/topics/page172…

Dr. Hinshaw is reiterating that she regrets that Alberta made a move to treating COVID-19 as endemic "too soon." Story on that from yesterday: cbc.ca/news/canada/ca…

Hinshaw says the restrictions are province-wide and broad because COVID-19 is impacting people across society "It is the result of close contact that occurs whenever people gather together, especially indoors ... we have no choice but to include many different areas."

"The choice to be fully immunized saves lives. The choice to reduce close contacts saves lives ... these new steps can and will work if we all support them," Dr. Hinshaw says. #ableg #abpoli #covid19AB

Dr. Verna Yiu of AHS says yesterday was the most ICU patients Alberta has ever seen. EVER. ICU capacity was at 88% with surge spaces, or 156% of capacity. Alberta is asking other provinces for ICU spaces and asking them for front-line staff.

Alberta Health Services is preparing to activate its triage protocol. That means choices over who gets a bed, who gets a ventilator, essentially who lives or dies. It will be a last resort, Dr. Yiu says. #abpoli #covid19ab

First Q. Will there be accountability, resignations, a public inquiry for the disastrous miscalculation of treating the pandemic as endemic?
Kenney says the focus is not on politics, the focus is on results to address the crisis. There will be time later to look back.

Follow-up Q: There's a pattern of mocking public health experts who issue warnings, then later implement a response. Why is your gov't incapable of learning these lessons?
Kenney says province has always treated restrictions as a last resort, says gov't has aimed for a balance.

Premier says Alberta faces a unique challenge of a lower vaccination rate but says it has by far the most generous incentives to encourage people to get shots. Also says "so much of this is about human behaviour." Says gov't can't just flick a switch and change how people actt.

Q: Alberta was the only jurisdiction that treated COVID as endemic. Asks if Hinshaw will resign for "disastrous miscalculation?"
Hinshaw says COVID is complex. She looks at all health outcomes Albertans have, and has done her best to provide recommendations for overall health.

Q: Will we keep these restrictions in place until the pandemic is over? Do we need a new CMOH?
Kenney says Dr. Hinshaw has his full confidence and Alberta has been fortunate to have a thoughtful CMOH who has taken a balanced approach.

Kenney says he's proud of how Alberta has handled the pandemic when compared to the rest of the world. Says "up until now" Alberta has had a lower fatality rate, without "damaging restrictions."

Kenney says he doesn't know how long these new restrictions will last, but that at some point through vaccination or immunity through prior infection (this isn't entirely true based on what experts have said about infection-acquired or herd immunity) transmission will slow.

Q: To what degree what has happened between July 1 and now a reflection of your leadership, premier? People are angry.
Kenney says we were wrong to treat this as endemic, but I frankly don't think we were wrong to lift public health restrictions in July.

Kenney: I don't apologize for the decision to relax public health restrictions in the summer -- a decision he says was supported by the data at the time. (Experts have disputed whether the data supported this).

Premier Kenney says he said a lot of optimistic things in the summer because he was concerned about people's morale, and there were good reasons to be hopeful in July. Now we've seen things change and are responding accordingly, he says. #ableg #abpoli

Kenney says "I don't think this is about me, this is about protecting our hospitals." He says there is deep division in society over how best to address COVID -- hard lockdowns which he says most Albertans won't tolerate, and people who think COVID's threat is exaggerated.

Health Minister Shandro says there are restrictions on gatherings among vaccinated people b/c there are some cases (however few) among vaccinated, so it helps reduce transmission overall. Hinshaw supports this, giving an analogy of forest fires -- says any fuel needs to reduced.

Kenney says many who test positive are telling contact tracers they refuse to self-isolate, and some are so sick when they enter hospital they go straight to ICU. He says he hopes the new proof of vaccination program reaches those people.

Q: How can you compare potential anger over restrictions with 2,500 dead Albertans?
Kenney says every loss of life is tragic. But Kenney says if you ask people to "massively interrupt their lives" compliance would be negligible. Solution isn't restrictions, but vaccination.

Kenney says "I don't apologize for not maintaining lockdown style policies indefinitely." (I don't think that's what reporters were asking if he apologized for).

Q: This is the third consecutive wave where medical professionals were calling for sooner action to avoid case growth. What were you waiting for?
Kenney says some measures were taken two weeks ago and it took time to finalize this package of restrictions that was just announced.

Q: What responsibility do you take in letting this wave get so out of control that health-care professionals may have to make decisions over who lives and who dies?
Kenney avoids the question of responsibility, talks about how vaccination is needed.

Kenney says "I don't know what more we could have done," saying that the only further measure they could do was the vaccine passport announced tonight.

Q: Premier says he received recommendations for public health measures on Monday evening. Asks why Hinshaw didn't give recommendations earlier?
Kenney jumps in to say modelling suggested the province could manage capacity and that he appreciates the advice the gov't has received

Hinshaw says she and her team have continued to offer recommendations throughout the entire pandemic.

Q: In the summer, the premier and staff attacked the media for "promoting fear," suggested the pandemic was over. How can you expect people to take you seriously now?
Kenney says his gov't has consistently not agreed with calls for lockdowns.

Q: These restrictions are mandatory -- so will there be consequences? How will they be enforced?
Shandro says restrictions will be enacted through a CMOH order, enforced by public health inspectors. They'll work to educate people first, if that doesn't work, then fines.

Q: When did Dr. Hinshaw come up with these recommended restrictions?
Hinshaw repeats herself, saying throughout the pandemic she's provided recommendations. But says as to specific timing of these recommendations, that's a matter of cabinet confidence.

That's it. That was a lot of info.
New restrictions: alberta.ca/covid-19-publi…
Recap: cbc.ca/news/canada/ed…
Full video of news conference: #ableg #abpoli #covid19ab

And Alberta has sent out an emergency alert with the new info.

Looks like I managed to break this thread at some point, it continues here:

https://twitter.com/sarahcrgr/status/1438296939250999299