Restrictions to continue into 2022, Kenney says in Facebook live appearance
From the best summer ever to the winter of 'we have to monitor all of this very carefully'.
That was the gist of the message delivered by Premier Kenney Wednesday night in a Facebook live appearance where Kenney said that restrictions would remain in place until at least the first quarter of 2022.
It was a sober message delivered despite the fact that the fourth wave of COVID-19 appears to have crested, with case numbers beginning to ebb.
"It appears the fourth wave is coming down. We see COVID-19 shrinking in Alta. All of those things are good news, but it's still too soon (to lift restrictions)," Kenney said.
"Why?" he said, continuing." Because we are headed into colder weather. People are indoors more, which leads to a risk of higher transmission. Plus we are likely to experience at some point this winter a waning effect of immunity acquired through natural infection. Plus a waning effect from the protection offered by vaccines."
"Don't get me wrong,"he added. "Vaccines are massively effective – but there is evidence in Israel and elsewhere, that that protection can abate over time – so we have to watch that very closely. It's why we're now offering booster shots to people over 75 in Alberta.
"Long story short: we just have to monitor all of this very carefully and not create arbitrary metrics given the virulence and lethality of the Delta variant and other potential variants that could come after."
Kenney said he hoped that six months from now, he and all Albertans would be looking back at the turning point in the pandemic, when it shifted to endemic – but confessed he's already gotten the timing of that prognostication wrong once before.
"We thought that was happening in the summer based on our analysis of other jurisdictions, and we were wrong in our analysis, and largely just because under vaccination here," he said.
"Here's the good news: the more people who get vaccinated, the more quickly we can move beyond restrictions as a response to COVID-19," he added.
"And the less likely we will be affected by future waves. And the more quickly we can reschedule all the surgeries that have been postponed.
"And the more lives that can be saved."
Thirty-eight new deaths related to COVID-19 were announced Wednesday and the province said 76 per cent of eligible Albertans are now vaccinated with two doses.
The Facebook lives do not permit journalists an opportunity to ask follow-up questions of the premier. Kenney last held a media conference on Tuesday.
His Facebook appearance also coincided with a new poll showing Kenney's approval rating to be the lowest among Canadian premiers, at 22 per cent.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.