March 23, 2020
RE: COVID-19 Update 8
Vulcan County Regional Emergency Management Partners are continuing to monitor the COVID-19 situation in Alberta. Please note that all Vulcan County Fire Halls are closed to the public until further notice. Vulcan County, the Villages of Champion, Carmangay, Lomond, Milo, and Arrowwood Offices are also closed to the public, however business operations are continuing. While the Town of Vulcan office remains open, we are urging the public whom have questions to use the websites or a telephone as most questions could be answered this way. With increasing numbers of confirmed cases throughout Alberta, we want to stress the importance of following proper personal hygiene and cleaning processes. Please follow these guidelines and watch your municipal websites for further updates.
Essential Services
All Vulcan County Regional Emergency Management Partner Municipalities have implemented back-up and contingency measures for water treatment over the coming weeks. The Vulcan District Waste Commission has also implemented plans to ensure solid waste service continuity. Public Works staff in all municipalities continue to ensure essential services are maintained.
The Vulcan County Regional Emergency Management team would like to remind everyone to practice social distancing. Consistent messaging from the Federal and Provincial Governments is that all nonessential visits, travel, and gatherings are to be avoid. The Vulcan County Regional Emergency Management Partnership echoes this messaging. The Provincial and Federal government has put mechanisms in place to aid the financial burden of those having to stay home. Do your part and help flatten the curve. Avoid social gatherings, plan your shopping for off times of the day, practice good hygiene wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes and avoid touching your face. So far, Vulcan County and the urban municipalities within have not seen any confirmed cases, let us try to keep it that way. This process only works if everyone is participating and doing their part.
Emergency Isolation Support
The Alberta government will provide immediate financial relief to Alberta’s families and vulnerable populations. Albertans should be focused on their health and not worry about whether they can pay their bills so a number of options in place for those struggling financially.
• This will be a temporary program for working adult Albertans who must self-isolate because they meet the Government of Alberta’s published criteria for self-isolation, including persons who are the sole caregiver for a dependent who must self-isolate because they meet the public health criteria, and who will not have another source of pay or compensation while they are self-isolated.
• A one-time payment of $1,146 will be distributed to bridge the gap until the federal emergency payments begin in April.
• The Province expects the program to be available through a simple online application next week and that funds will be deposited in the accounts of eligible recipients beginning at that time.
811 Health Link
Once again, people experiencing symptoms are to take the online self-assessment.
As a further reminder, 811-health link is for those who are feeling ill and seeking advice. Please do not call 811 to report non-compliance of Public Health Orders. This is tying up the line and not the appropriate place to report non-compliance.
For anyone wanting to report contraventions of the Public Health Orders in regards to businesses go to the following website HTTPS://WWW.ALBERTA.CA/RESTRICTIONS-FOR-MASS-GATHERINGS.ASPX
The Province continues to see increased cases of COVID-19, with another 42 cases announced March 23rd, bringing the total confirmed cases in Alberta to 301. Currently there have been no confirmed cases within Vulcan County or the urban municipalities within its borders. As of March 23, 2020, testing has been completed for 29,757 Albertans.
All Albertans are still encouraged to visit alberta.ca/COVID19 for the latest information, guidance and resources.
Above information sourced from:
https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=6980324A5B1B0-BC2C-40A8-A6AD9E30E3189425
Sincerely,
Nels Petersen
Regional Director of Emergency Management
Vulcan County
