Encouraging Albertans to safely visit the great outdoors, the province announced that restrictions to outdoor mass gatherings have been eased.
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced Friday (May 15) that effective immediately outdoor gatherings limits have been increased to a maximum of 50 people just in time for the May long weekend.
“I think this is a bit of a litmus test to see in one to two week’s time after the long weekend how this long weekend impacted the spread of the virus,” Hinshaw said. “We need to collectively be thinking about how this weekend sets the tone for going forward— It’s [COVID-19] still with us it hasn’t gone away.”
She noted it will be essential for people to practice good hygiene and physical distancing along with avoiding sharing food and drinks during group gatherings.
The change to mass gatherings will only apply to outdoor activities, indoor gatherings are still required to have 15 people or less.
Municipal and private campgrounds are allowed to open this week to the public if they choose to, Hinshaw added. They have been required to put measures in place to limit the spread of the virus.
She encouraged people to enjoy the great outdoors safely and continuing to think about preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the province.
For those travelling over the weekend movement between provinces should be avoided and those travelling within Alberta should limit stops in small communities, Hinshaw said.
“My recommend continues to be to avoid out of province travel,” she said. “I would ask Albertans and those in B.C. or Saskatchewan who are considering travelling for the long weekend to reconsider.”
Hinshaw said it is important to be mindful that the virus is still in the province and poses an elevated risk to the elderly and those with chronic health conditions. She added that it is important to keep case counts down as the Province moves into Stage One of the economic relaunch.
“The better that we can collectively hold our infection rate stable and low as we move into the Stage One the quicker we will be able to move to Stage Two,” Hinshaw said.
“I think most Albertans are interested in protecting themselves, protecting their loved ones, protecting their neighbours and that these are the things that we can do to make that happen the most effective and to get Stage Two as quickly as possible.”
There are currently 1,0317 active cases of COVID-19 reported in the province.
There have been an additional four deaths in the Calgary Zone at continuing care facilities bringing the provincial COVID-19 death total to 125.
A total of 5,317 people have recovered from the virus.
In the last 24-hours, 4,505 COVID-19 tests have been conducted and 58 new cases have been identified in Alberta.
There are currently 62 people hospitalized, nine of whom have been admitted to intensive care units.
As the province enters Stage One of the economic relaunch, Hinshaw said, two triggers will be of importance— Hospitalizations related to COVID that are stable or declining or have increased by no more than five per cent in the past two weeks, and intensive care unit admissions must be below fifty percent.
Hinshaw added Public Health will also be looking to contextual indicators that include new cases in the province and the number of COVID-19 cases that have no known source.
Given the dropping numbers of COVID-19 in Alberta and the Alberta Economic Relaunch beginning to take flight, Hinshaw said her daily updates will be reduced starting next week.
If any events of significance occur in regards to the virus additional updates will be scheduled.
The next COVID-19 updates from Hinshaw will be on Tuesday, May 19 and Thursday, May 21.
