CALGARY -- As some Calgary bars and restaurants make the voluntary choice to close for the winter, the venues left open are facing a tough road ahead.
And while safety remains top of mind for business owners, one Alberta doctor is fighting against a claim from the premier that the risk of dining out isn’t that high.
Raj Bhardwaj believes restaurants offer an ideal opportunity for virus spread.
“Any time you are indoors with poor ventilation and not a lot of fresh air, when you are within a couple metres of people and when you are not wearing a mask for a long period of time, that’s when your risk is the highest,” Bhardwaj said. “So those are the things you need to try to avoid, and unfortunately those are the conditions in most restaurants.”
Bhardwaj is upset with Jason Kenney for what he calls “a lack of action” surrounding the second wave of COVID-19.
On Friday, Kenney once again appeared in front of cameras to ask Albertans to exercise personal responsibility when it comes to virus control.
Kenney says home gatherings and cohort groups should be limited to flatten the curve.
“These gatherings are the largest identified drivers of spread, often because people relax their guard at home,” he said.
But current AHS guidelines still allow groups of six inside bars and restaurants. That group should be members of the same household.
“Our data indicates that it's currently safer to eat out at a restaurant — at a table with no more than six with protections in place — than to attend a private gathering at someone's home,” Kenney said.
The data he’s referring to says that less than one per cent of virus transmission with a confirmed source happens in a bar or restaurant.
However, more than 40 per cent of cases in the province currently come from an unknown source.
Bhardwaj says that’s reason enough to not dine out.
“Nobody wants an economic collapse,” he said. “But we also don’t want a healthcare collapse. What you’re hearing from a lot of doctors is that the risk benefit equation seems to be a little bit skewed right now towards the risk.”
