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Dr. Deena Hinshaw delivered her latest COVID-19 update on Monday (Gov't. of Alberta live stream)
COVID-19 Testing

Hinshaw encourages all demonstrators to go for COVID-19 testing

Jun 9, 2020 | 9:16 AM

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health is encouraging everyone who attended anti-racism demonstrations across the province over the past several days to get tested for COVID-19.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw commended those who wore masks and stayed two metres away from each other attended anti-racism demonstrations over the past week.

“The freedom to protest is a critical one and yet we face a challenge in this time of pandemic to do so without risking super spreader events,” Hinshaw said during her latest news conference on Monday.” I want to encourage all those who attended this weekend to go for COVID-19 testing whether or not you have symptoms.”

Large protests have been happening in cities across Alberta in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis after his neck was knelt on for over nine minutes by police officer Derek Chauvin. A protest with an estimated 1,000 aprticipants took place on June 6 here in Grande Prairie

Contact tracing is difficult in events like these where many people are standing close together, so protesters are also asked to closely monitor their activities over the next couple of weeks.

Dr. Hinshaw has been in contact with some of the organizers of these protests to discuss how they can be structured in the future to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

(With file from Shaun Penner)