Calgary doctors hold noon hour rally against lifting of COVID-19 restrictions
Several dozen people gathered at the McDougall Centre in Calgary over the noon hour on Friday to voice concerns about Alberta dropping mandatory health measures for COVID-19.
A similar protest was also held at the legislature in Edmonton at noon on Friday.
The groups, which included a number of doctors, were protesting an announcement by the province on Wednesday that health measures will be further lifted starting Aug. 16, when those who contract COVID-19 will not be mandated to quarantine and masks will no longer be mandatory on public transit.
"I was super surprised," said Gosia Gasperowicz, a biologist at the University of Calgary, on her reaction to the news.
"When I heard there will be an announcement, I thought we would have more measures announced because we have now numbers shooting up, we have more than 2,000 daily cases. The speed is growing, we might have hospitals full either at the end of August or September."
Gasperowicz said the consequences will be that "COVID-19 will run rampant."
COVID-19 cases have been increasing in Alberta since the Calgary Stampede wrapped up on July 18.
According to Calgary ER physician Dr. Joe Vipond, the province's decision to lift public health measures is irresponsible.
"It’s insane, it’s this incredible experiment of how many people we can get sick," he said. .
Vipond has been voicing his frustration on Twitter as well.
Nearly 65 per cent of Albertans ages 12 and up have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Provincial officials have said the decision to remove restrictions was based on data received from Alberta’s public health response.
Saskatchewan repealed restrictions on July 11 after reaching a predetermined amount of vaccinations. That province has encouraged Alberta to follow suit and remove restrictions.
This is a developing story and will be updated throughout the day...
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.