New COVID-19 recommendations being brought forward to help bend the curve
Posted Dec 7, 2020 6:15 pm.
EDMONTON (660 NEWS) — The COVID-19 restrictions introduced nearly two-weeks ago aren’t enough to bring transmission down in Alberta.
“The current measures that we have in place are not likely to be sufficient to bring down our numbers,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw said during Monday’s COVID-19 update.
“I do believe we do need additional restrictions in order to bring our case numbers down and to protect our health-care system.”
There were 1,735 new cases reported on Monday, along with 16 deaths.
The number of people in hospital has grown to 609, with 108 of those being treated in intensive care units.
Hinshaw said the province has failed to limit the spread of the virus.
Hinshaw says they are putting together more recommendations. She doesn’t clarify when we might see new restrictions implemented
— Jeff Slack (@Jeffslack660) December 7, 2020
“I will be blunt, so far we are not bending the curve back down,” she said.
“We are still witnessing very high transmission of the virus which is putting enormous pressure on our hospitals, intensive care units, and health-care workers.”
It’s been nine months since the first case of COVID-19 was found in the province and Hinshaw is more concerned than ever.
Health officials are creating a package of recommendations that will be given to Premier Jason Kenney and his cabinet in the next couple of days.
We are now in the 9th month of this pandemic. I am more concerned than ever before about the spread of this virus. We need to come together to protect each other. (12/12)
— Dr. Deena Hinshaw (@CMOH_Alberta) December 7, 2020
“The exact restrictions that are needed, that’s where that question lies. But I do believe we do need additional restrictions in order to bring our case numbers down and protect our health-care system.”
While Hinshaw believes the latest restrictions put the province in a better position than it would have been in, it wasn’t as effective as health officials would have liked.
“Every time we avoid transmission, every time we avoid a superspreader event, we are in a better place than we otherwise would have been.”
