The Province of Alberta will enact the final phase in its plan to lift remaining public health measures at 11.59 p.m. Wednesday..The move comes in the light of the diminishing impact of the Omicron BA.2 wave and with respect to COVID-19 hospitalization cases continuing to decline..The rate of new hospitalizations has been falling since its peak late April when there were 20.7 new COVID-19 admissions per day per million of the population..PCR test positivity and wastewater surveillance also records a continuing downward trend in COVID-19 transmission..As of June 9, the weekly average of new hospitalizations rate has been 6.6 per day per million population..Effective June 14 at 11:59 p.m., Alberta will move to Step 3. This final phase includes lifting mandatory masking rules on public transport and ending mandatory isolation — in keeping with British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba..“We need to live with COVID-19 while accepting that it will continue to be present. We’ll continue to work to keep Albertans safe by ensuring access to vaccines, antivirals and rapid tests, through ongoing COVID-19 surveillance, and by enhancing health-care system capacity,” said Jason Copping, minister of health..Mandatory isolation following COVID-19 infection is a recommendation only..Masking and any other measures within Alberta Health Services (AHS) facilities will stay in place as per AHS policy for infection prevention and control..Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health reiterated AHS’ advice for vaccination and boosters..“Learning to live with COVID-19 does not mean forgetting about it. As we bring COVID-19 management in line with other respiratory diseases, it will continue to be vital that we receive our primary vaccine series and any additional booster doses we are eligible for, and continue good habits like washing our hands regularly and avoiding being around others if we feel sick.”.Alberta will continue to provide free rapid test kits. To find a location, visit alberta.ca/CovidRapidTests.
