Hinshaw says government knew since mid-August hospital demand would rise without provincial intervention
In a long address to her medical colleagues Monday night, Alberta's top doctor was candid in laying out what decision makers knew and when.
She said the lifting of virtually all public health restrictions on July 1 was based on a belief that while cases may rise, the severe outcomes would remain low.
"Within a couple of weeks [. . .] we weren't seeing the decoupling we expected,” said Dr. Hinshaw.
“I deeply regret how that has played out. I do continue to do my best every day to provide my advice to the proxy decision makers for my patients, who are the elected officials.”
But as the situation worsened, the government dug in, and stuck to their story that the pandemic was in the past.
As the COVID-19 count climbed in the weeks following Stampede, the story unraveled somewhat.
"By kind of mid-to-late August, we realized this is a significant problem," Hinshaw said. "We (know that we) need to pull back and we're still in that process (now).”
Since then, the province reintroduced a mask requirement for indoor spaces and has halted liquor sales after 10 p.m. with some exceptions.
Former Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. James Talbot said he wouldn't criticize Hinshaw's performance because he doesn't know what advice she's offered. He said the inaction by the province was especially frustrating as the health care system teeters between crisis and "melt down".
"We were requesting that the (hospitalization) modelling be released. The media was requesting it. There was excuse after excuse (from the province),"Talbot said. "Now we know that the reason they didn't release it was, they knew that it wouldn't be evidence for inaction being a good course."
"We squandered four weeks when we could have been doing something about it. That's the bottom line."
Former Alberta chief medical officer of health Dr. James Talbot is calling for a "firebreak" to curb the rising case count and hospitalizations.
He said across Canada, there needs to be more independence and job security for the role of top doctor if the public is to have trust that their safety is being put first.
"The degree of independence and freedom from arbitrary dismissal that we would like to give them - just to have in the future - so that we don't end up with this confusion about doing what's right for the people versus what's right for government,” Talbot said.
"We've seen unfortunately, the government in power, paying attention to a small minded, vocal minority, to the extent that right now the 70 per cent of us who've had two doses of vaccine are really being held hostage by the 30 per cent, who haven't," said Talbot.
MRU political commentator Duane Bratt said for months any expert questioning the government's approach to the pandemic has been publicly attacked by the premier's staffers.
"(Premier Kenney's chief of issues management) Matt Wolf said "the pandemic is over: Deal with it.' Well, the pandemic is not over," said Bratt. "People are dying, more people are going to die.”
"It's the same mistake over and over again," he added, "with attacks on anybody who has questioned their judgment."
"That would be the question asked Shandro. Or Kenney. How many people have to die so that you can keep your party together?” asked Bratt.
Dr. Talbot said the coming weeks will extract a heavy price, particularly from unvaccinated adults, as hospital resources grow thinner by the day.
"COVID is at 1500 cases a day and rising, you can expect to get infected, maybe two weeks from now, maybe four weeks from now, when you get infected," Talbot said.
"If you have serious consequences, and if you need a hospital bed," he added, "you may not get a hospital bed."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Drone footage shows Ukrainian village battered to ruins as residents flee Russian advance
The Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne has been battered by fighting, drone footage obtained by The Associated Press shows. The village has been a target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Egypt media cite progress in truce talks as Israel downplays chances of end to war with Hamas
A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported "noticeable progress" in ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war.
Bystander livestreams during Charlotte standoff show an ever-growing appetite for social media video
Saing Chhoeun was locked out of his Charlotte, N.C., home on Monday as law enforcement with high-powered rifles descended into his yard and garage, using a car as a shield as they were met with a shower of gunfire from the direction of his neighbor's house.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.