Why this Calgary doctor hopes people consider continuing to wear masks after mandates are lifted
Alberta is just weeks away from ending its indoor mandatory mask rule, but one Calgary doctor is hoping people consider wearing one, even after all pandemic rules are lifted.
Dr. Eddy Lang is an emergency doctor and is the co-author of a study that looked into hospitalizations unrelated to COVID-19 during the first months of the pandemic compared to the previous year.
It found the public health measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 also worked in reducing the amount of Albertans needing to be rushed to hospital.
"What we saw was a 30 per cent reduction in hospitalizations for chronic lung disease due to smoking, called COPD, as well as pneumonia, which are also common, which were not related to COVID," said Dr. Lang, who is also with the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine.
The study looked at admissions between March and September of 2020 and found fewer people were needing to be hospitalized with complications related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia.
There were about 2,500 fewer hospital admissions related to COPD in Alberta in the first six months of the pandemic, the study found.
"The respiratory health of Alberta has improved in the last 15 months and it's really up to every individual if they want that to continue," Dr. Lang said.
MASK MANDATE
Alberta will lift its mask mandate, along with all other public health measures, in Stage 3 of the reopening plan. If vaccination rates continue at the current pace, that will take place in the first week of July.
But Tyler Shandro, Alberta's Health Minister, said there could still be recommendations for when masks should be worn in certain settings and situations. Private businesses could still require masks to be worn, too.
Calgary council will look at lifting its mandatory mask bylaw on Monday.
"I'm speculating, but I would find it hard to imagine that we would not repeal the face coverings bylaw by the end of July at the latest," said Mayor Naheed Nenshi, though he added the city may lift its mask rules based on the percentage of Calgarians who received a second dose of the vaccine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
The Indian couple killed in a wrong-way police chase crash on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.