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Alberta pediatricians voice child safety concerns ahead of planned elimination of COVID-19 testing, tracing

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CALGARY -

Pediatricians across Alberta are calling on the province to reconsider the impending removal of COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and mandated isolation, which they say places families at risk.

In an open letter to Premier Jason Kenney sent Monday, the Alberta Medical Association's Section of Pediatrics pleaded for the continuation of strong public health measures until 85 per cent of Albertans are immunized — the threshold for herd immunity — or the official arrival of the endemic phase of COVID-19. The Alberta government is already claiming the province has entered the endemic stage.

The organization says the premature elimination of restrictions, testing and tracing could result in potentially dire consequences in children.

It says high infection rates in children would likely lead to increased case numbers of serious illnesses, including severe COVID-19 pneumonia and multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), and little is known regarding the long-term health implications of pediatric patients who contract the Delta variant. 

The pediatricians say Alberta's pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) beds operate at near full capacity on a general basis and would likely be overwhelmed if COVID-19 were to become widespread in schools and other community settings.

The group claims the removal of testing and contract tracing will likely force Alberta families to make difficult, risk-based decisions regarding whether their children should participate in school, child care and extracurricular activities.

In an effort to reduce the potential risk to Alberta children, the group is calling on Kenney to:

  • Continue to offer provincially funded community testing for those showing symptoms of COVID-19;
  • Mandate isolation of confirmed cases;
  • Reintroduce mandated mask use in indoor public spaces including schools;
  • Report COVID-19 case numbers and outbreaks on a regular basis; and
  • Reintroduce contact tracing by public health officials.

"Failure to do so is an abdication of our responsibility to protect those who may not be in a position to protect themselves," said the AMA Section of Pediatrics in its Aug. 9 letter.

In late July, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced that people who test positive for COVID-19 will no longer be required to quarantine as of Aug. 16 but isolation would still be recommended.  Albertans who develop COVID-19 symptoms will be asked to stay home instead of undergoing a test and, as of Aug. 30, tests will only be available at hospitals or clinics.

Kenney, while attending an announcement of new brewery jobs in Edmonton, remained steadfast in his belief that the province is heading in the right direction in its battle with COVID-19 and children are not being placed in harm's way.

"We've accepted, without modification, the proposal of the chief medical officer of health based on the extensive research of our public health officials on the new reality of COVID here in Alberta and around the world with the widespread protective effect of vaccines," said Kenney. "As we know, COVID does not pose a greater risk to younger children particularly in terms of severe outcomes that the regular seasonal flu influenza and that was the case even when we had zero vaccine coverage."

Kenney adds that the province is currently developing a plan for the safe reopening of schools this fall.

In a statement released Monday afternoon, NDP Critic for Health David Shepherd lauded the stance of the pediatricians.

"Jason Kenney is recklessly destroying Alberta’s testing, tracing and isolating systems. Now, the doctors who are charged with safeguarding the youngest Albertans — those who cannot currently receive vaccines — are sounding the alarm," said Shepherd.

"Today, Alberta doctors are telling Jason Kenney that failure to act would be an abdication of his responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

"I strongly urge him not to repeat his mistakes and failures yet again. Our caucus is calling for Alberta to test, trace, and isolate in order to preserve our reopening, and protect young Albertans who cannot be vaccinated."

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