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
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.