Preseason games begin in Calgary as doctors, health experts continue to warn of capacity impacts
The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will kick off their preseason campaigns Sunday, but it's action outside of the lines that many Albertan eyes are focused on.
Health experts and doctors are continuing to question the lack of capacity limits inside of the Scotiabank Saddledome for the 2021-2022 season.
"It's ill advised," infectious disease expert Dr. Lynora Saxinger said. "Definitely too high risk for this time and place."
Saxinger – and many of her colleagues – are concerned about more than 19,000 fans packing into the arena during a deadly fourth wave that has overwhelmed Alberta's intensive care units.
A story by TSN's Rick Westhead mentions more than a dozen infectious disease experts and doctors who are worried about the impact of the upcoming NHL season.
The Flames will be requiring all attendees 12 years old and up to provide proof of vaccination.
Calgary Sport and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC), which owns and operates the Calgary Flames, Calgary Stampeders, Calgary Hitmen and Calgary Roughnecks, will utilize Portpass, a made-in-Calgary app to check for immunization records. Users must upload some identification to receive a code to scan for entry.
Fans must also wear face coverings inside the arena when they are not actively eating or drinking.
But even with the restrictions, many experts believe going to a packed sporting event is too high risk – especially considering the provincial health care situation.
"We just can't afford for things to not go perfectly," Saxinger said. "There are so many variables."
"It is completely reckless to be hosting hockey games with 100 per cent capacity with 18,500 fans in a closed environment where we know that transmission flourishes," Dr. Ilan Schwartz, another infectious disease doctor, told CTV News Thursday.
Saxinger acknowledged the CSEC plans to ask for proof of immunization, but said Sunday that even with vaccinated fans, COVID-19 can spread.
She believes restricting events to fewer than 1,000 fans "has noticeable effects" on transmission, but said it's hard to calculate exactly how many people it would be safe to allow into the Saddledome.
The team said this week that it expects preseason games to attract 60 to 70 per cent of the arena's fan capacity. That would mean up to 13,500 people are expected Sunday.
It'll mark the first time fans are allowed in the venue since the pandemic began.
"We've tried to be leaders in the community in terms of supporting anything health initiative-wise to make sure that we can keep everybody – not only our fans – but everyone in the province as healthy as we possibly can," Flames general manager Brad Treliving told reporters on Wednesday.
A CSEC representative has not answered further CTV News questions about limiting capacity.
The Edmonton Oilers will also require proof of vaccination or a negative test result inside their home games this season.
Alberta reported a record high number of intensive care unit patients on Friday.
1,061 people in the province are in the hospital with COVID-19, including 243 in ICU.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.