By Curtis Galbraith

COVID-19

Students prohibited from schools, other measures brought in by the Alberta government, to stop COVID-19 spread

Mar 15, 2020 | 6:14 PM

Students are now prohibited from going to school in Alberta and classes at post-secondary institutions are canceled to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The province announced the new measures late Sunday.

Licensed child care facilities, out-of-school care, and preschool programs are closed as well.

Day homes are exempt as they care for no more than seven kids at one time.

The province is also asking that long-term and continuing care facilities limit visits to essential ones only. Places of worship are no longer exempt from the rules banning large gatherings of more than 250 people.

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Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the government approved the measures after consultations between her and school officials.

“I have heard clearly from them that the guidance provided by (Alberta Health) is proving extremely difficult to put into practice at the front lines due to product shortages, challenges with staffing, and other operational issues.”

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says she expects students to still get a final mark and move into the next grade next school year.

“However, provincial assessments such as provincial achievement tests will be canceled as of this time. Diploma exams essential for post-secondary acceptance will continue. We are confident that every student who is eligible to graduate from Grade 12 this year will graduate.”

LaGrange says administrative work, cleaning, and maintenance will continue at schools.

Dr. Hinshaw adds the new restrictions are needed after seven new cases came from one gathering in Calgary plus two new ones came from what she terms “an unknown source.”

“This means we are likely seeing community transmission in Alberta. Community transmission is when a person catches the virus from someone who stayed in the province and not from someone who recently traveled. Until now, all cases in Alberta had been travel-related or (had been) in close contact with a returning traveler.”

There are now 56 confirmed cases in Alberta, all of them in Edmonton and Calgary. That is up from the 39 confirmed cases reported Saturday. Three of those are in Edmonton, 14 in Calgary. Two of these people are in stable condition in hospital. The rest are at home and are expected to recover. There have been no confirmed cases reported in the North Zone.

The province has also announced that an additional $500-million will go into the health budget. This is for treatment, testing, and surveillance.

More information, including a self-assessment test, can be found here.