Premier Jason Kenney addresses fourth wave concerns in Facebook Live appearance
In a Facebook Live appearance Wednesday night, Premier Jason Kenney defended his government's handling of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The premier fielded prepared questions during the 90 minute session. Members of the media were not notified ahead of Kenney's surprise post-vacation appearance and reporters were not allotted an opportunity to pose questions.
Kenney, speaking publicly for the first time since Aug. 9, echoed remarks made by Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw that re-implementing restrictions is not the way to move forward in the public health crisis.
"As Dr.Hinshaw has said, we have to, in the long run, learn to live with COVID by which she means that the virus will continue to circulate," he said.
"There is no viable so-called COVID zero policy," he added. "You can see the catastrophic failure of that in places like Australia and New Zealand, where cases continue to go up even through they’ve been on multiple prolonged, severely-damaging lockdowns."
Rather than restrictions, Kenney said the emphasis should be on vaccinations.
“This is really a wave of the unvaccinated. Over 90 per cent of people in ICU with COVID right now are unvaccinated and it has increasingly become a disease of the unvaccinated," he said.
"If we had instead of 78 per cent of vaccine coverage or 69 per cent full coverage, if we had 90 per cent coverage, we would not have meaningful pressure on the health-care system."
What we have to do here is keep pushing those vaccine numbers up, ensure that we have the healthcare capacity. And we may have to take other measures to encourage people, the unvaccinated, to ensure that they are not putting themselves in a position of transmitting."
While he didn't get specific about what those other measures might be, Kenney rejected the notion of a vaccine passport for Albertans.
"That doesn’t mean vaccine passports In my view but it means, please people, if you’re not getting vaccinated please act responsibly because you’re jeopardizing your own health, that of your neighbours, your family and your loved ones."
NO PROVINCIAL MASK MANDATE
As far as mask mandates go, Kenney said individual institutions and businesses were free to implement their own policies.
“The reality is that people if they feel they should wear a mask they can do so and there is a mask mandate that applies to rapid transit and mass transit, rideshares, taxis, and of course certain work places like hospitals and long term care centres and other particular workplaces," he said.
Responding to criticism that he has been AWOL during the fourth wave, Kenney said, "I know some people were apparently angry that I took a bit of personal time but I don't do that much... as I say... it's the second time I've taken what I would call an extended period off .. A couple of weeks since 2015... Especially for everyone in a high pressure job, having a chance to recharge your batteries, rest and reflect to catch up on your sleep is very important to your productivity."
The province reported 1,315 new cases Wednesday, the most since May 13, pushing the active case count to 12,290, about where it was in the third week of May.
The number of Albertans receiving care for COVID-19 in intensive care units reached a three-month high on Wednesday, according to the province's Wednesday data update.
The latest numbers show 107 patients in ICU, up 87 since Aug. 1 and the highest since June 3.
Those 107 are included in 465 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the most since May 29.
More than 88 per cent of those in ICU are unvaccinated, as are close to 76 per cent of those in hospital.
With files from CTV Edmonton
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.