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Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Alberta, Saskatchewan to end all Covid restrictions

Sask. to end COVID-19 proof of vaccination policy on Feb. 14, mandatory masking to remain until end of month | CBC News - Alexander Quon:

February 8, 2022 - "Saskatchewan will end its vaccine passport policy on Monday, Feb. 14. That means businesses, workplaces and other public venues will no longer be mandated by the province to require proof of vaccination or a negative test. Currently, all Saskatchewan residents must show proof that they have received two shots of the COVID-19 vaccine to enter restaurants, bars and many other businesses. They also have the option to provide a negative COVID-19 test. Those requirements will be removed Monday....

"The provincial government confirmed that other current public health orders, including a requirement to mask in indoor public spaces and a requirement to self isolate after contracting COVID-19, will remain in effect until the latest public health order expires at the end of February.  Moe said the public health order will not be renewed. He said that means rules like mandatory self-isolation for those with COVID-19 will also be over at the end of the month. Moe and Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province's chief medical health officer, laid out the plan at a COVID-19 update on Tuesday....

""The province says eHealth Saskatchewan will continue to make proof of vaccination records and QR codes available to Saskatchewan residents to use where needed, including for travel and in other jurisdictions. Saskatchewan also announced that all Saskatchewan residents 12 to 17 years old are now able to receive a Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine ... five months or more after the child has received their second dose....

"Health officials have already reduced some restrictions, saying they want to begin treating COVID-19 like any other communicable disease. As part of that policy shift, the province stopped providing daily COVID-19 updates as of Monday.... Saskatchewan now requires all PCR tests for COVID-19 to be booked in advance via the 811 HealthLine and has reserved the tests for "priority populations at elevated risk to severe outcomes."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/covid-19-update-feb-8-2022-1.6343563

Image courtesy CBC News

Alberta lifts COVID-19 measures, with restrictions exemption program now over | CBC News:

February 8, 2022 - "Albertans will no longer need to show their QR code to dine in restaurants or sit at entertainment venues. The changes took effect at midnight Tuesday. Premier Jason Kenney announced the three-step plan to ease public health measures in the province on Tuesday. As he'd previously promised, the restrictions exemption program — Alberta's version of the vaccine passport — was first to go....

"Effective midnight Tuesday, capacity limits were removed for smaller venues, including libraries and places of worship with a capacity of less than 500. Food and beverage consumption will be allowed in venues where audiences are seated. Larger venues will still have some limits: facilities with a capacity of 500 to 1,000 will continue to be limited to 500, while those with capacity for 1,000-plus people will be limited to 50 per cent. Also part of the first phase, children aged 12 and under will be exempt from all masking requirements; in schools, masking requirements will be lifted for students of all ages. Both those measures take effect on Monday....

"Step 2 comes into effect on March 1, if hospitalization numbers continue to trend down. Those changes include:

  • Any remaining provincial school requirements (including cohorting) will be removed.
  • Screening prior to youth activities will no longer be required.
  • Capacity limits will be lifted for all venues.
  • Limits on social gatherings will be removed.
  • Provincial mask mandate will be removed.
  • Mandatory work from home removed.

"The timing of Step 3 will be determined by hospitalization rates, Kenney said. This phase will see COVID-specific measures in continuing care removed and mandatory isolation becoming a recommendation only."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/covid-alta-edmonton-kenney-1.6343576

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