Alberta to return to Step 1 restrictions as COVID-19 cases surge

Kenney says variants make up over half of the new COVID-19 cases and 40 per cent of active cases in the province.

If current measures were to remain in place, Kenney showed Albertans a graph on Tuesday that says we and the health care system would be in deep trouble.

“This is not based on modeling with a lot of assumptions, this is what we know right now,” expressed Kenney.

Photo: Government of Alberta

The graph indicates if we remain on our current trajectory, over 1,000 Albertans would be in hospital by the end of April and the province would record over 2,000 cases a day.

“To be blunt, this wave is here,” said Kenney. “These trends would threaten the maximum capacity of our healthcare system.”

Kenney added the province could care for up to 2,400 COVID-19 patients in hospital, but that would result in the cancellation of all non-urgent surgeries and other medical procedures.

“If we don’t slow down this curve, we are set to hit the maximum capacity of our system in mid-May. These trends would challenge the health of thousands of Albertans and lead to many more preventable deaths.”

The following measures will go into effect as of midnight on April 7:

Indoor and outdoor children’s sport and performance

Children’s sport and performance activities are permitted if they are related to school activities, such as physical education classes.
K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions can use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities.

Indoor fitness

Only one-on-one training is permitted for indoor fitness activities (e.g. fitness in dance studios, training figure skating on ice, one-on-one lessons).
One-on-one sessions cannot interact with others and there must be a minimum of three metres distance between sessions in the same facility.
Sessions have to be scheduled or by appointment.
No drop-in for individuals or groups is allowed.
No sports games, competitions, team practice, league play or group exercise of any kind.
Trainers must be professional, certified and/or paid trainers who are providing active instruction and correction. Passive supervision of a physical activity is not considered training.
Trainers should remain masked during the session; clients are not required to wear a mask while exercising.
More than one trainer and client ‘pair’ are allowed into the facility, studio, rink, court, pool, ice surface, etc., as long as:
- Each trainer and client stays three metres away from all other trainers and clients at all times, including in entryways and exits.
- Each trainer only interacts with their assigned client, and each client only interacts with their assigned trainer.
- No interaction between clients or between trainers is allowed.
- No ‘cycling through’ multiple trainers, as in circuit training.

Restaurants, cafes and pubs

Effective April 9 at noon, in-person service is not permitted indoors.

Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes can open for outdoor patio dining, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery only.

Patio seating must be limited to a maximum of 6 people per table – individuals must be from the same household or the 2 close contacts for a person living alone.
Tables and dining parties must be 2 metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.
Individuals must stay seated with their dining party unless using the washroom, paying, or entering/exiting the facility. Masks must be worn indoors.
Contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party.
Liquor service ends at 10 pm.
Patio dining must close by 11 pm.
No entertainment allowed (VLTs, pool tables, live music, etc.).

Banquet halls, community halls, conference centres & hotels

Patio seating must be limited to a maximum of 6 people per table – individuals must be from the same household or the 2 close contacts for a person living alone.
Tables and dining parties must be 2 metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.
Individuals must stay seated with their dining party unless using the washroom, paying, or entering/exiting the facility. Masks must be worn indoors.
Contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party.
Liquor service ends at 10 pm.
Patio dining must close by 11 pm.
No entertainment allowed (VLTs, pool tables, live music, etc.).

Entertainment and recreation facilities

Libraries must close.

All entertainment businesses and entities must remain closed, including:

Casinos, bingo halls, gaming centres.
Racing centres, horse tracks, raceways.
Bowling alleys, pool halls.
Nightclubs.
Art galleries and museums.
Science and interpretive centres.
Amusement and water parks.
Children’s play centres and indoor playgrounds.
Movie theatres, auditoria and concert halls.

Outdoor gatherings will be allowed to happen with up to ten people as long as two metres of physical distancing is met between each person. Indoor gatherings of any kind will be banned

Retail services and shopping malls must limit customer capacity to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy (not including staff) or a minimum of five customers.

Retail services include but are not limited to

Retail businesses
Shopping centres and malls
Grocery stores, markets and pharmacies
Clothing and sporting goods stores
Computer and technology stores
Hardware and automotive
Liquor and cannabis
Pet supply stores
Gift shops

Places of worship

All places of worship will continue to be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance.
- Virtual or online services are strongly encouraged.
- Drive-in services where individuals do not leave their vehicles and adhere to guidance will be permissible and are not subject to capacity restrictions.

Kenney didn’t provide any timeline for when the province would consider easing restrictions.

In a statement, the Province of Alberta said metrics based on cases and growth, including COVID-19 variants, are being monitored and will also be used to guide any decisions around the need to pause further steps or potentially increase restrictions.

by Shane Clausing