Alberta reported more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday but, along with Saskatchewan, is not planning to follow broad mask mandates announced this week by neighbouring western provinces.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Tyler Shandro have both said that vaccinations are the best, most effective way to get the province through the pandemic. Neither has addressed the surging numbers.
Both Alberta and Saskatchewan continue to urge residents who have not done so to get the two-dose protection.
Manitoba and British Columbia are reintroducing mask requirements in indoor public spaces to try to arrest a rise in case numbers.
Alberta reported 1,076 new cases Wednesday and had close to 8,500 active infections. Some 284 people were in hospital with COVID-19, 59 of them in intensive care. It’s the highest daily case count since mid-May.
In Edmonton, Alberta Health spokesman Steve Buick said there is no plan to pursue a rule on face coverings. He added: “Our current mask rules remain in place, including mandatory masks in health-care settings and public transit.”
In Saskatchewan, where there were 1,500 active cases and 108 people hospitalized, Health Minister Paul Merriman said provinces have the prerogative to choose what they want to do.
“But we feel right now that the vaccine is the best path through this,” he told reporters in Regina.
“Public health measures are a stopgap,” added Merriman, who stressed that the onus is on individuals to get vaccinated to protect themselves and to get the province through the pandemic.
