Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is throwing the province back into a lockdown “for one last time.”.Kenney announced that as of Friday at midnight the province will be returned to Phase 1 of the lockdown processes – meaning an end to things like in-person dining..The premier said more financial aid will be coming to affected businesses..At 12:59 p.m., the restrictions will once again be in place for retail, fitness and performance activities. .Effective at noon Friday, restaurants will be restricted to providing only takeout, delivery and patio service..Alberta will remain in Step 1 with restaurant restrictions until further notice. .“We are taking strong action to stop the third wave from threatening our health system and the health of thousands of Albertans. The rapid rise in cases, especially variants of concern, makes this a critical time to stop the spread,” said Kenney..“These measures will buy us some time for additional COVID-19 vaccines to arrive and take effect so we can once again start safely easing restrictions as quickly as possible.”.Dr. Deena Hinshaw also announced Tuesday they had found 931 new cases of coronavirus, 676 of them being a variant. The positivity rating was a whopping 10.2 per cent. Three more death were also reported..Kenney noted a recent Brazil variant started with one person, then hit five and eventually 35 people. One of the victims died with two more in ICU..He said the province is on the path to having 2,000 daily cases by the end of the month, with more than 1,000 people in hospital..“To be blunt, (the next wave) is here,” said a grim Kenney..“We can do this together.”.Kenney predicted there will be continued outrage from people opposed to the lockdowns “even within my own caucus.”.It did take those frustrations long..“More and more experts are acknowledging that non-pharmaceutical interventions and regulatory impositions are harmful, especially for 13 months,” said Cypress Hill-Medicine Hat UCP MLA Drew Barnes..“We need a more open, and regional approach that protects our vulnerable and our economy, mental and physical health and civil liberties,” he told the Western Standard..“In just 15 minutes post-announcement, I have heard from many Albertans involved in the hospitality, gyms and retail industries that say today’s announcement will be consequential.”.Barnes was a group of six rebel UCP MLAs who broke party ranks to demand the lockdown end..““Alberta, like Texas, Florida or South Dakota could be the beacon of opportunity, freedom, choice and the protection of civil liberties,” said Barnes..NDP leader Rachel Notley has pushed Kenney to bring back the lockdown..The following are the new regulations:.Step 1 restrictions.Retail .Retail services must reduce customer capacity to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy, with a minimum of five customers permitted.Curbside pickup, delivery and online services are encouraged.Shopping malls will be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy. .Indoor fitness.Only one-on-one training with an individual or household is permitted for indoor fitness activities (e.g., fitness in dance studios, training figure skating on ice, one-on-one lessons). No drop-in activities or unsupervised individual fitness.Group fitness, high or low intensity, is not allowed.Outdoor physical activity is allowed with up to 10 people, provided physical distancing is maintained between households..Adult performance activities.Adult performance activities are not permitted. Performance activities include dancing, singing, acting, playing a musical instrument and any rehearsal or theatrical performances..The following mandatory public health measures come into effect at noon on Friday, April 9:.Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafés .Indoor in-person service is no longer permittedTakeout, curbside pickup and delivery services are permitted.Outdoor patio dining is also allowed. Tables and dining parties must be two metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.Household members only, or two close contacts of someone who lives alone.Contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party..The following mandatory public health measures remain in effect unchanged:.Places of worship.All places of worship will continue to be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance.Virtual or online services are strongly encouraged.Drive-in services where individuals do not leave their vehicles and adhere to guidance will be permissible and are not subject to capacity restrictions..Social gatherings.Indoor social gatherings continue to be prohibited.Outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 participants, provided physical distancing and other measures continue to be followed..Personal and wellness services.Personal and wellness services can be open for appointment only. This includes hair salons, nail salons, massage, tattoos and piercing.Health services, including physiotherapy or acupuncture, social or protective services, shelters for vulnerable persons, emergency services, child care, and not-for-profit community kitchens or charitable kitchens can remain open for in-person attendance..Indoor and outdoor children’s sport and performance.K-12 schools and post-secondary children’s sport and performance activities, such as physical education classes, can now use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities.Lessons, practices and conditioning activities, but not games, may occur for indoor team-based minor sports/activities and school athletics.All participants must be 18 years old or younger, excluding coaches or trainers.Maximum of 10 individuals, including all coaches, trainers and participants.Participants must stay physically distanced from each other at all times..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is throwing the province back into a lockdown “for one last time.”.Kenney announced that as of Friday at midnight the province will be returned to Phase 1 of the lockdown processes – meaning an end to things like in-person dining..The premier said more financial aid will be coming to affected businesses..At 12:59 p.m., the restrictions will once again be in place for retail, fitness and performance activities. .Effective at noon Friday, restaurants will be restricted to providing only takeout, delivery and patio service..Alberta will remain in Step 1 with restaurant restrictions until further notice. .“We are taking strong action to stop the third wave from threatening our health system and the health of thousands of Albertans. The rapid rise in cases, especially variants of concern, makes this a critical time to stop the spread,” said Kenney..“These measures will buy us some time for additional COVID-19 vaccines to arrive and take effect so we can once again start safely easing restrictions as quickly as possible.”.Dr. Deena Hinshaw also announced Tuesday they had found 931 new cases of coronavirus, 676 of them being a variant. The positivity rating was a whopping 10.2 per cent. Three more death were also reported..Kenney noted a recent Brazil variant started with one person, then hit five and eventually 35 people. One of the victims died with two more in ICU..He said the province is on the path to having 2,000 daily cases by the end of the month, with more than 1,000 people in hospital..“To be blunt, (the next wave) is here,” said a grim Kenney..“We can do this together.”.Kenney predicted there will be continued outrage from people opposed to the lockdowns “even within my own caucus.”.It did take those frustrations long..“More and more experts are acknowledging that non-pharmaceutical interventions and regulatory impositions are harmful, especially for 13 months,” said Cypress Hill-Medicine Hat UCP MLA Drew Barnes..“We need a more open, and regional approach that protects our vulnerable and our economy, mental and physical health and civil liberties,” he told the Western Standard..“In just 15 minutes post-announcement, I have heard from many Albertans involved in the hospitality, gyms and retail industries that say today’s announcement will be consequential.”.Barnes was a group of six rebel UCP MLAs who broke party ranks to demand the lockdown end..““Alberta, like Texas, Florida or South Dakota could be the beacon of opportunity, freedom, choice and the protection of civil liberties,” said Barnes..NDP leader Rachel Notley has pushed Kenney to bring back the lockdown..The following are the new regulations:.Step 1 restrictions.Retail .Retail services must reduce customer capacity to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy, with a minimum of five customers permitted.Curbside pickup, delivery and online services are encouraged.Shopping malls will be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy. .Indoor fitness.Only one-on-one training with an individual or household is permitted for indoor fitness activities (e.g., fitness in dance studios, training figure skating on ice, one-on-one lessons). No drop-in activities or unsupervised individual fitness.Group fitness, high or low intensity, is not allowed.Outdoor physical activity is allowed with up to 10 people, provided physical distancing is maintained between households..Adult performance activities.Adult performance activities are not permitted. Performance activities include dancing, singing, acting, playing a musical instrument and any rehearsal or theatrical performances..The following mandatory public health measures come into effect at noon on Friday, April 9:.Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafés .Indoor in-person service is no longer permittedTakeout, curbside pickup and delivery services are permitted.Outdoor patio dining is also allowed. Tables and dining parties must be two metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.Household members only, or two close contacts of someone who lives alone.Contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party..The following mandatory public health measures remain in effect unchanged:.Places of worship.All places of worship will continue to be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance.Virtual or online services are strongly encouraged.Drive-in services where individuals do not leave their vehicles and adhere to guidance will be permissible and are not subject to capacity restrictions..Social gatherings.Indoor social gatherings continue to be prohibited.Outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 participants, provided physical distancing and other measures continue to be followed..Personal and wellness services.Personal and wellness services can be open for appointment only. This includes hair salons, nail salons, massage, tattoos and piercing.Health services, including physiotherapy or acupuncture, social or protective services, shelters for vulnerable persons, emergency services, child care, and not-for-profit community kitchens or charitable kitchens can remain open for in-person attendance..Indoor and outdoor children’s sport and performance.K-12 schools and post-secondary children’s sport and performance activities, such as physical education classes, can now use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities.Lessons, practices and conditioning activities, but not games, may occur for indoor team-based minor sports/activities and school athletics.All participants must be 18 years old or younger, excluding coaches or trainers.Maximum of 10 individuals, including all coaches, trainers and participants.Participants must stay physically distanced from each other at all times..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
