June 24, 2020
RE: COVID-19 Update 60 (New Information in BLUE)
Vulcan County Regional Emergency Management Partnership updates will now be release once (1) day a week, on Wednesday’s unless urgent messaging comes from Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health or Government Officials, or AHS on regional cases.
Vulcan County Regional Emergency Management Partners are continuing to monitor the COVID-19 situation in Alberta. The latest Government of Alberta media releases can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/news.aspx
All Vulcan County Fire Halls are closed to the public until further notice. The municipal offices of Vulcan County, the villages of Arrowwood, Carmangay, Champion, Lomond and Milo remain closed to the public while business operations are continuing. The Town of Vulcan municipal office remains open, however, we are urging the public to use municipal websites, email and telephone to answer their inquiries.
As cases have now been confirmed within the Vulcan County region, it is imperative to follow proper personal hygiene and cleaning practices. Please follow these guidelines and watch your municipal websites for further updates.
Everyone, even persons not exhibiting symptoms or requiring mandatory self-isolation, is strongly encouraged to limit outings to a minimum and stay home; observe social distancing and avoid touching your face without first washing your hands.
The Vulcan County Regional Emergency Management Partnership has put together a series of videos on COVID-19 related themes:
- Tips for Wearing Masks
- Tips for Washing Hands and Surfaces
- Tips on Public Distancing, Touching Your Face and Wearing Gloves
- When to See the Doctor
- Protect Our Communities
- Here For You
With the confirmation of a confirmed case within our region, please remain vigilant in the practices that have been established.
Cases in Alberta and Vulcan County
The Government of Alberta is taking aggressive measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. Albertans are asked to be vigilant to prevent intensive care units from being overwhelmed.
For today, 44 new cases have been confirmed bringing the total number of cases to 7,825. There has been a total of 153 fatalities as a result of COVID-19. There have been a total of 7,134 recoveries to date, with 538 active cases. There have been a total of 409,352 tests completed in Alberta.
There are three confirmed cases within Vulcan County or the urban municipalities within its region. Vulcan County is in the Calgary Health Zone here 67% of all confirmed Covid-19 infections are located in Alberta.
Alberta uses modelling to anticipate the number of COVID-19 cases over the coming months. Revised modelling was provided on April 28th. This helps us make decisions and prepare hospitals to care for critical and acute patients. A Sprung Field Hospital has been completed at Foothills Hospital should the province realize a spike in Covid-19 hospitalizations.
Alberta Relaunch Strategy – Phase Two
Stage 2 will allow additional businesses and services to reopen and resume operations starting June 12 with 2 metre physical distancing requirements and other public health guidelines in place.
Business operators, sport and recreation services can determine if they are ready to open and ensure all guidance for workplaces is met.
What can open with RESTRICTIONS:
- K-12 Schools, for requested diploma exams and summer school, following guidance
- Libraries
- More Surgeries
- Wellness services such as massage, acupuncture, and reflexology
- Personal services (esthetics, cosmetics skin and body treatments, manicures, pedicures, waxing, facial treatments, artificial tanning
- Movie theatres & theatres
- Community Halls
- Team Sports
- Indoor Recreation, fitness and sports, including gyms and arenas
- Pools for leisure
- VLTs in restaurants and bars
- Bingo halls & Casinos (but not table games)
- Instrumental concerts
- Provincial campgrounds at full capacity
Events and Gatherings can be Larger in Stage Two
- 50 people maximum: indoor social gatherings, including wedding and funeral receptions, and birthday parties
- 100 people maximum: outdoor events and indoor seated/audience events, including wedding and funeral ceremonies
- No cap on the number of people (with public health measures in place):
- worship gatherings
- restaurant, cafes, lounges and bars
- casinos
- bingo halls
- More flexibility for ‘cohort’ groups – small groups of people whose members do not always keep 2 metres apart:
- a household can increase its close interactions with other households to a maximum of 15 people
- performers can have a cohort of up to 50 people (cast members or performers) o sports teams can play in region-only cohorts of up to 50 players (mini leagues) o people could be part of a sports/performing and household cohort.
Still Not Approved in Stage Two:
- Social gatherings that exceed above listed maximums
- Regular in-school classes for kindergarten to Grade 12. Classes will resume September 2020
- Vocal concerts (as singing carries a higher risk of transmission)
- Major festivals and concerts, large conferences, trade shows and events (as these are non-seated social events and/or vocal concerts)
- Nightclubs
- Amusement parks
- Hookah lounges (permitted for food and drink only)
- Major sporting events and tournaments
- Non-essential travel outside the province is not recommended – this won’t be lifted until stage 3 of the relaunch strategy.
The success of Stage 2 will determine when Alberta progresses to Stage 3. Factors are active cases, health- care system capacity, hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) cases, and infection rates.
Guidance on Outdoor Activities
With the weather warming up, everyone is eager to go outside for fresh air.
Albertans are encouraged to enjoy outdoor activities, as long as you follow all public health orders to protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19.
- Limit outdoor gatherings to no more than 50 people
- Stay home and away from others if exhibiting symptoms
- If participating in activities with people from outside your household or cohort family
- maintain a physical distance of 2 metres at all times
- refrain from sharing equipment
Provincial Measures and Indicators of COVID-19 Regional Risks
There are two indicators the Province is using as measures on how regions are doing, with three classifications:
- Open
- low level of risk, no additional restrictions in place
- less than 50 active cases per 100,000
- Watch
- the province is monitoring the risk and discussing with local government(s) and other community leaders the possible need for additional health measures
- at least 10 active cases and more than 50 active cases per 100,000
- Enhanced
- risk levels require enhanced public health measures to control the spread
- informed by local context Currently our regions falls within the open category.
- Tassi, Minister of Labour, announced changes to extend time periods for temporary layoffs to allow employers more time to recall laid-off employees.
- For employees laid off prior to March 31, 2020, the time period is extended by six months or to December 30, 2020, whichever occurs first.
- For employees laid off between March 31, 2020, and September 30, 2020, the time period is extended until December 30, 2020, unless a later recall date was provided in a written notice at the time of the layoff.
- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, today announced $16 million in federal investments to support the tourism industry across Atlantic Canada.
- Minister Joly also announced financial assistance totaling over $30M for tourism in Quebec, in addition to existing measures.
Alberta
- Environmental reporting temporarily paused by the government during the provincial public health emergency will resume on July 15, four weeks earlier than planned.
811 Health Link
Once again, people experiencing 7symptoms are to take the online self-assessment. As a further reminder, 811-health link is for those who are feeling ill and seeking advice. DO NOT call 811 to report non-compliance of Public Health Orders; these can be reported to the Environmental Health Complaint Link or by calling (403) 943-2288.
If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others
- Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2643
- Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322
Local Programs and Initiatives
Vulcan County – Health & Wellness Foundation
Vulcan – Medical Recruitment
Vulcan Regional Food Bank Society
Above information sourced from:
https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=70009006E7A24-0CB0-DB76-8FDE7FAC19DBB875