Alberta: Protests against repeal of COVID-19 measures

Hundreds of Albertans gathered in Edmonton and Calgary on Saturday to protest for the second day in a row against the cancellation of some COVID-19-related measures, such as lifting mandatory isolation rules as well as reducing contact tracing and testing.

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Approximately 250 people attended the Edmonton Legislative Assembly and another 200 participated in the rally in Calgary.

Protesters opposed a bill introduced by the Alberta government on Wednesday, which plans to lift mandatory quarantine of close contacts of a COVID-19 case and no longer inform those contacts of their possible exposure to the virus from July 29.

The government said in a statement on Wednesday that tests to screen people without symptoms would not be recommended on that date.

From August 16, infected people will not be required to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus and quarantine procedures in hotels will be removed. Mandatory mask-wearing orders will also be lifted in the province, although a mask may still be required in health care facilities.

“Given the high vaccination rate, Alberta will gradually align its COVID-19 measures with those of other respiratory viruses in order to ensure the health system’s capacity this fall,” the government said at the time.

However, severe case detection, regional surveillance, and outbreak management in high-risk settings will continue.

“We will keep saying the same thing until the government listens to us,” D said on Saturday.^Re Tahseen Lada, an assistant professor at the University of Alberta School of Medicine, reported Global News.

“This time around, thanks to community organizing and public protest, everyone in attendance is really taking ownership of the project. I think that’s really the message. There have been a lot of county governments decisions where people have been upset, angry and worried. These [rassemblement] It is the culmination of everything.”

Emergency Physician from Calgary Dr^NS Joe Vibond is also said to have called for the resignation of Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr.^Re Dina Henshaw.

“It is now clear that public health is not putting in place policies to protect the health of the public. I think it is a farce, and I think she should resign,” he said during the protest, according to Global News.

Dr. Recommendations^Re Hinshaw is based on science, not politics. Attempts to discredit him by the opposition leader and others are hated. considered d^Re A spokesperson for Alberta’s health minister said in an email to Global News that Henshaw deserves praise for her efforts to bring Alberta out of the pandemic and has the full support of the Alberta government.