March 26, 2020
RE: COVID-19 Update 11
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.
Alberta is taking aggressive measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Additional actions may be required in the coming days. The health of Albertans is, and always will be, our top priority.
6Alberta confirmed 67 new cases on March 26.
Currently there have been no confirmed cases within Vulcan County or the urban municipalities within its borders. As of March 26, 2020, testing has been completed for 36,174 Albertans.
Support for Albertans
Alberta Health Services is launching a text-based program that aims to help provide encouragement and hope to Albertans. Text4Hope sends subscribers text messages of support and encouragement to ease stress or anxiety. Albertans can text COVID 19 Hope to 393939 to subscribe.
Starting March 23, the Alberta Connects Contact Centre will be available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Albertans can call toll-free from anywhere in the province by dialing 310-4455 for general information about the Government of Alberta and its response to COVID-19, or for help contacting individual program areas. This line cannot provide medical advice. Anyone who has health concerns or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should complete an online COVID-19 self- assessment.
- Community and Social Services has suspended in-person service delivery in its program offices and Alberta Supports Centres. Albertans should contact 1-877-644-9992 for more information.
- The province has imposed new isolation timelines that are now in effect. For those who are sick, the isolation timeline has changed from 14 days to 10 days, following the onset of symptoms, and only if you are feeling well by then. Those who have been exposed or are returning to Canada but do not have symptoms will still have to isolate for 14 days. Should they start to have symptoms they will have to continue isolation until 10 days from the start of the symptoms.
People not experiencing symptoms are reminded they can still go outside, but this must be limited to activities such as walks, where the individual remains two metres away from others
What steps should businesses be taking?
- We are strongly encouraging businesses and employers to take this opportunity to review their own business continuity plans and consider how they would lower the risk of the spread of infection in the workplace.
- Appropriate steps include making sure staff are familiar with continuity plans and processes are in place in case of a community disruption.
- More information is available on alberta.ca/COVID19. Law Enforcement
As of March 25, law enforcement agencies have been granted full authority to enforce the public health orders by the Premier of Alberta, to assist Alberta health services in enforcing Alberta’s Public Health Act, as well as the Chief Medical of Health’s orders in relation to:
- Prohibiting persons in the province from attending:
- Schools, daycares (with some exemptions for core service workers) and post-secondary institutions;
- Mass gatherings of more than 50 attendees;
- Public recreational facilities;
- Bars and nightclubs;
- An individual returning to Alberta from outside of Canada;
- A close contact of an individual who is confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 or probably infected with COVID-19; and
- An individual with symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, or nasal congestion.
Consequences
On March 25, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health issued orders under the Public Health Act to legally require returning travellers to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to Alberta. This legal requirement also applies to close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
People who violate the self-isolation orders:
- Through amendments to the Public Health Act, community peace officers and police will be able to issue tickets to enforce COVID-19 public health orders.
- Fines administered through tickets for violating an order have increased from up to $100 per day to a prescribed fine of $1,000 per occurrence.
- Courts will also have increased powers to administer fines of up to $100,000 for a first offence and up to $500,000 for a subsequent offence for more serious violations.
- These new fines will be in force over the coming days.
Isolation
As of March 25, Albertans are legally required under public health order to self-isolate for:
- 14 days if they returned from international travel or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19
- 10 days if they have any symptoms that are not related to a pre-existing illness or health condition: cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat
Budget
- A $750 million contingency fund was approved for emergencies and disasters for the 20/21 year. Government will access these funds to help support COVID-19 response measures across our province.
- Government is prepared to take any necessary additional measures to help ensure the health, safety, and economic security of Alberta.
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.
Above information sourced from:
https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=6980324A5B1B0-BC2C-40A8-A6AD9E30E3189425
