'Still a ways to go in Alberta:' Top doctors weigh in on plan to end isolation
Canada's top doctors say Alberta's decision to end isolation requirements for those who test positive for COVID-19, or who have been in close contact with someone who has, could have ripple effects across the country.
“I firmly believe that quarantine and isolation can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in light of the spread of the Delta variant,” Theresa Tam, the country's chief public health officer, said Friday during a news briefing in Ottawa.
She urged people to continue isolating, get tested for COVID-19 and inform their close contacts even if it is no longer required.
Alberta announced earlier this week that close contacts of positive cases are no longer being notified of exposure by contact tracers, nor are they required to isolate. The government has also ended asymptomatic testing.
As of Aug. 16, individuals who test positive won't be legally required to isolate either, although it will still be recommended. Isolation hotels will close and quarantine supports will end.
Alberta's case levels have been rising and the Delta variant is now dominant.
Vaccination rates have begun to lag. About 75 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least one dose of vaccine and 64 per cent are fully immunized.
That means there are hundreds of thousands of unvaccinated people in Alberta, Tam said, and there's the potential for large COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks.
“The bottom line is get vaccinated. There's still a ways to go in Alberta.”
The consequences of Alberta's decision could spread beyond provincial boundaries, added Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy chief public health officer.
“Everyone is alive to the fact that there could be, as they say, 'knock-on effects' to the other provinces and territories with travel within Canada,” he said.
Alberta's decision to lift all restrictions has been widely condemned by local leaders and health-care providers.
As well, the Canadian Paediatric Society has sent an open letter to Alberta's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, urging her to think twice about lifting isolation and testing requirements.
The letter called the move an “unnecessary and risky gamble.”
The society said children under the age of 12, who are unable to get the vaccination, will be particularly vulnerable.
“Dropping these public health measures, especially when we are in such a delicate phase of recovery, has the potential to worsen the spread of the virus and could jeopardize future recovery plans and supports,” the letter said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2021
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG
The President of Poland says his country would 'of course' be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is 'not interested' in subsidizing future projects.
Have you heard the one about Trump? Biden tries humor on the campaign trail
U.S. President Joe Biden is out to win votes by scoring some laughs at the expense of Donald Trump, unleashing mockery with the goal of getting under the former president's thin skin and reminding the country of his blunders.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.