Photo: Government of Alberta

By Shane Clausing

plan to end restrictions

Alberta announces plan to end all COVID-19 restrictions

Feb 8, 2022 | 5:35 PM

Premier Jason Kenney has announced the province’s ts plan to remove all COVID-19 restrictions.

The plan will be done in three different stages. It was approved by the COVID-19 cabinet committee on Tuesday.

Stage 1 (Starting at 11:59 p.m. on February 8)

• The Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) will be removed entirely from all venues, businesses and event areas impacted by it.
• Restrictions on food and beverage at entertainment venues removed, other restrictions will remain for now.
• Capacity limits removed for all except for large capacity venues (sporting arenas)

Starting on February 14, the province will remove mandatory masking requirements for children and youth 12 and under in public spaces. Mandatory masking will also be removed for children and youth in schools for any age.

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Stage 2 (March 1 – Only if hospitalizations continue to trend down)

• Indoor masking will no longer be required.
• Remaining school COVID-19 requirements removed.
• Youth screening no longer required for sports/entertainment.
• No capacity limits on all large venues and entertainment venues.
• Limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings lifted.
• Mandatory work from home order lifted.

Stage 3 (Date TBD)

• Stage 3 will see all COVID-19 restrictions lifted on continuing care facilities.
• No longer required to isolate if positive for COVID-19.

Premier Kenney says the province is able to move in this direction because their data shows the province hit the peak of COVID-19 infections three weeks ago.

“It is clear that we passed the peak of Omicron infections about three weeks ago, and are now seeing the result as COVID-related hospitalizations are declining. This is good news and broadly reflects the experience of other jurisdictions around the world when it comes to the Omicron variant. That is why countries like Denmark, England and many others have lifted almost all public health restrictions in recent weeks.”

Kenney mentioned the provinces of Saskatchewan and Quebec also made similar announcements on Tuesday for when they will begin lifting most public health measures.

As of the end of the day on Monday, the number of people with COVID-19 in hospital sat at 1,623. Premier Kenney says 39.6 per cent of those patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 while in hospital are not being treated for COVID.

“To put this in context, with about 1,500 overall non-ICU, only about 900 of them are being treated for COVID or for COVID as a secondary condition,” Kenney added.

As mentioned, the province will only move ahead into Stage 2 if hospitalizations continue to decline. Kenney stated it is important to make sure our health system is able to continue accepting patients.

“Throughout the pandemic, Alberta’s policy response has always sought to avoid overwhelming our province’s health system while minimizing the damaging impact of restrictions on society. Earlier in the pandemic, when vaccine uptake was much lower, other treatments weren’t available and testing was harder to come by, so more drastic government interventions were needed to keep people safe.”

Kenney added the COVID-19 threat to Albertans is now much lower now than it was in the fall and over the last two years.

“With what we know now about the virus and tools we have to fight it, the threat of COVID-19 to public health no longer outweighs the hugely damaging impact on our society and people’s mental health. Now is the time to begin learning to live with COVID.”