STILL MIA
Alberta premier hosts Facebook chat after government criticized over handling of fourth wave
Tyler Dawson - 

© Provided by National PostA mock missing poster for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is seen taped to post near Edmonton City Hall. Kenney was last seen in public on August 9.

EDMONTON — As COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations steadily rise in Alberta, government officials and politicians have been criticized for being unusually quiet in recent weeks, shunning public communications and the daily COVID briefings that had become a mainstay of the pandemic.

The fourth wave is putting pressure on Alberta’s medical system. The province had more than 12,200 active COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, with 465 COVID-19 patients in hospital, and 107 of them in intensive care units. As of Aug. 29, there were just 31 ICU beds available in Alberta’s hospital system.

Alberta Health Services has announced, in recent weeks, the postponement of dozens of surgeries in the Edmonton area and northern parts of the province; patients have had to be transferred from Grande Prairie — where only 51 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated — to Edmonton due to demand for COVID care in the local hospital.

For weeks, questions have been mounting about the province’s pandemic response, as case counts slowly began to climb, and none of the figures Albertans are used to hearing from made public appearances.

Premier Jason Kenney was last seen in public on Aug. 9, making an announcement at an Edmonton brewery. Tyler Shandro, the health minister, last gave a media briefing in late July. And Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province’s chief medical officer of health, whose presence was ubiquitous for much of the last 18 months, last spoke to reporters on Aug. 13.

On Wednesday night, Kenney appeared in a “fireside chat” to take questions from Albertans.

“I’m hiding in plain view,” Kenney said via Facebook Live .

In it, he spoke about a forthcoming announcement about new incentives to get Albertans vaccinated.

The premier said there is “no viable” COVID-zero policy, but that, should cases keep rising, there would be “targeted” measures to address the spike.

The low visibility has led to considerable criticism, in part from New Democrats, but also groups of concerned doctors and parents, who, as kids head back to school, are wondering what the plan is.

Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, said it looks like, at this point, “they’re governing by tweet.”

“Where are they?” Bratt said.

Alberta leads other provinces in total number of active cases by a wide margin — nearly double those of British Columbia and Ontario, which both sit around 6,000. Ontario has 336 people in hospital; B.C. has 176 in hospital and 91 in intensive care. On a per capita basis, Alberta has 256 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 40 per 100,000 people in Ontario, 51 per 100,000 people in Quebec and 123 per 100,000 in B.C., according to Public Health Agency of Canada data.

The National Post sought comment from Kenney, Shandro and Hinshaw’s offices about their whereabouts and plans to address the public. No response was received from Kenney and Shandro’s offices. Hinshaw’s said she was not giving an update Tuesday.

Kenney’s office has previously said that he is on holiday, but has still been able to participate in briefings and has been in contact with government officials.

Still, there has been little direction from the highest echelons of government — or even their subordinates — as Alberta’s case rates climb to roughly double that of the next-worst province, and cities, schools and the private sector all move to bring in their own COVID-related health measures.

Alberta’s politicians aren’t alone in their silence — or the criticism they’re facing. Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s top doctor, hasn’t held a briefing since the federal election began, and while she’s expected to give a briefing this week, it’s unclear if they will become a regular occurrence.

© David Bloom/Postmedia/FileAlberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro at a COVID-19 briefing on July 29. He has not given any COVID briefings since July.

Jason Kindrachuk, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Manitoba, said a lack of information from government is concerning, especially considering how the Delta wave has unfolded in the United States.

“You want to have, certainly for the public, a feeling of transparency and a feeling that there is, basically, a response to this,” Kindrachuk said. “Given the way that Delta transmits, there is a significant concern that everybody … that is not vaccinated, will ultimately get infected.”

The closest Albertans came was on Tuesday, when Finance Minister Travis Toews — at a press conference for the province’s fiscal update — was asked about the pandemic by reporters. Toews said “we’re in a fourth wave at this point in time,” and insisted that there has been “daily communication around the pandemic.”

There has, on social media and via news release, such as when, last week, Shandro announced on his Twitter account that Albertans will be able to get proof of vaccination if they need it, but there has been no in-person briefings.

“I have full confidence in our chief medical officer and our health minister to, at the appropriate time, make themselves available for the press,” Toews said.

Also on Tuesday, Alberta Health Services officials held a media briefing about mandatory vaccinations for provincial health-care workers, but it didn’t offer the details about community spread and hospitalization that COVID briefings usually provide.

Zain Chagla, an infectious diseases physician and medicine professor at McMaster University, said that cases are going up, but it doesn’t appear to be as fast as in prior waves. Still, there is concern.

“It is a little bit of a worrisome environment in Alberta, and again (the province is) at significant risk of health-care overload, if things keep going in that direction,” Chagla said.

The current outbreak in Alberta is mostly among the unvaccinated, government data show, with nearly 80 per cent of those in non-ICU beds either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. In the ICU, 94 per cent are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

In several parts of the province — mainly northern jurisdictions — less than half of all eligible Albertans are vaccinated, government data show. In High Level, the northwestern-most jurisdiction, just 19 per cent of eligible people are fully vaccinated, and only 23 per cent have one dose, the lowest rates in the entire province.

The spike in cases has also prompted municipal officials to act, universities and schools are coming up with mask and testing policies, and a number of major industry players — including Canadian Natural Resources and the Calgary Flames — have also announced vaccine mandates or rapid testing policies.

“Everybody else is responding, except the provincial government,” said Bratt. “Even if they held a press conference to say ‘We’re not doing anything and this is why we’re not doing anything,’ that would be better than simple radio silence.”

On Monday, Edmonton city council voted eight to two in favour of bringing back the city’s mask mandate, which lapsed on July 1. As of Friday, Edmontonians will have to mask up in all indoor areas, such as retail, restaurants and recreation facilities.

“But I’m hearing increasing calls … that some action is required and that some leadership is necessary to fill the vacuum,” said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson.

Into the breach on Monday stepped a handful of doctors who, over the course of the pandemic, have been consistent, vocal critics of the United Conservative government. It was to them that several thousand Albertans turned for guidance — for information about statistics and suggestions about what to do next.

Among them was Dr. Joe Vipond, a Calgary doctor who has emerged as a leading critic of the government’s pandemic response, and who’s faced criticism from the premier’s office for political donations to the NDP. (Vipond has said his relationship with the NDP ends there and that he has had policy meetings with all parties.)

“There is an obligation from a medical perspective to make sure the public knows the right info,” said Vipond. “We can’t replace the government — we have no power. We don’t make policy…. We’re a poor replacement for real leaders doing their real job.”

With additional reporting by the Edmonton Journal
• Email: tdawson@postmedia.com | Twitter: tylerrdawson

SURPRISE!  I GOT A FACEBOOK PAGE
Premier Jason Kenney addresses weeks-long absence during 4th wave of pandemic
Sarah Rieger - Yesterday

© Jason Kenney/FacebookPremier Jason Kenney took questions from viewers on Facebook Live on Wednesday after weeks of vacation. The premier had been criticized by some doctors and the Opposition for his absence at a time COVID-19 cases were surging.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney reappeared after a weeks-long absence on Wednesday with a Facebook livestream where he answered selected questions from Albertans and teased an upcoming incentive to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Kenney's last public appearance was 23 days ago, on Aug. 9, when he announced an expansion to the Labatt's brewing plant in Edmonton.

Since then, there have been frequent public calls from doctors and the Opposition for the premier to step in and communicate a plan to combat the surging, delta-driven fourth wave of the pandemic.

During that time, active cases and ICU hospitalizations have quadrupled; there are currently 12,290 active cases and 465 people in hospital, 107 in ICU.

In response to a viewer question about his absence, the premier said with a laugh, "I'm right here, in the McDougall Centre [the site of the premier's Calgary office], where I've been working this week."

The premier said he has been on a summer holiday — the first lengthy vacation he's taken since 2015. He said earlier in the day, he had attended a briefing with Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who also has not been seen in public since Aug. 13.

"It's important that a person in my position doesn't burn out," Kenney said, adding that during his vacation he was on his phone each day receiving regular government briefings. "I don't think people taking a bit of personal time should be a political football."

Kenney said he usually only holds news conferences when he has a significant announcement to make, often about funding, which he said could be seen as inappropriate interference during the federal election campaign.

He added that the government will hold a news conference later this week about the rapidly rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in the province.

'Hiding in plain view'

He also addressed concerns that he chose to make his first appearance after his absence on Facebook, rather than hosting a news conference that would allow reporters to freely ask questions on any topic, and follow-ups.

"I'm hiding in plain view," Kenney joked. "Normally we get tens of thousands of viewers … I think that's public accountability right there."

Some of the questions the premier chose to answer included queries about whether the government plans to bring back a mask mandate or take further public health measures. Kenney replied the government will monitor the situation. He was also asked how the province will encourage more people to get vaccinated.

The premier said there will be an announcement soon on a new and different incentive to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

"We may have to take other measures to encourage people, the unvaccinated, to ensure they are not putting themselves in a position where they're transmitting," Kenney said.

Kenney said he continues to look at public health restrictions as a last resort.

"Indeed, if we do see this wave jeopardizing the health-care system we may have to take some very targeted actions but nothing like lockdowns," he said.

Alberta is currently home to 38 per cent of the country's active COVID-19 cases, even though it makes up less than 12 per cent of Canada's population.

About 66 per cent of all Albertans have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, considerably lower than the national average of 73.3 per cent.

Earlier in the day, Friends of Medicare, a public health non-profit group, issued a release calling on the premier, health minister or chief medical officer to provide a plan to mitigate the "current health crisis."

"Instead of proactive measures to contain the fourth wave, we've seen bed closures, cancellations of elective surgeries, serious staff shortages," said Sandra Azocar, the executive director of the group.

Kenney said the pandemic has been fraught with difficult decisions.

"When this is all said and done we're going to be able to look back in the cold light of day with objectivity."

Strained by COVID-19, Alberta's rural communities desperate for guidance from government

Emily Fitzpatrick - 
cbc.ca

© AHSGary Harris receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Grande Prairie, Alta., on March 11, 2021. The northwestern Alberta city lags behind the rest of the province in vaccine uptake.

Rural Alberta communities are looking for guidance from the government as they tackle rising COVID-19 case numbers.

In Edson, Alta., 200 kilometres west of Edmonton, the town's hospital is seeing its highest hospitalization rates since the start of the pandemic.

"Some of our local health-care professionals that have been working our emergency room over the last number of days, they've been inundated with people coming in with COVID symptoms," said Mayor Kevin Zahara.

"A number of our beds in our acute centre are taken by COVID patients, more so than we have at any other point in the pandemic."

Zahara also said they are inching closer to their highest-ever number of cases. As of Aug. 30, there were 99 active cases in the community.

"Our peak was in wave two, around 112 to 116 cases," he said. "So certainly concerning to see this rise over the last number of days."

Zahara believes the increase in cases could be due to a number of factors including the easing of restrictions, a larger segment of the population being unvaccinated, and various pipeline projects that are bringing out-of-province workers into the community.


© Scott Neufeld/CBC NewsEdson Mayor Kevin Zahara said the town's hospital currently has more patients in acute care than any other point in the pandemic.

He said they are working hard with residents to control the spread of the coronavirus but acknowledged that some guidance from the provincial government would go a long way.

Video: Some Albertans question lack of leadership amid COVID-19 fourth wave warnings (Global News)

"We certainly have a problem here in Alberta," he said. "And it'd be nice to see some leadership on this issue, even to inform us of what the modelling is showing and what the plan is moving forward."

It's a similar situation in Grande Prairie, Alta., 455 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

On Saturday, Alberta Health Services transferred six patients from Grande Prairie's Queen Elizabeth II Hospital to neighbouring health-care centres in order to create room for an increase in patients with COVID-19.

Mayor Jackie Clayton said the town is alarmed that the hospital is nearing capacity.

On behalf of city council, she sent a letter to Health Minister Tyler Shandro looking for guidance on how to deal with rising case numbers.

"We don't have health-care professionals on staff," Clayton said. "We aren't health-care experts as elected officials.

"And we think that its AHS and the province's role to make a plan, implement that plan and provide us with clear guidance in regards to what the municipal response and plan should be."

Vaccination rates in Grande Prairie are lower than the provincial rates of vaccination. The region has about 49.7 per cent of the total population immunized with at least one dose of vaccine, with 43 per cent having received both doses.

Comparatively, 66.3 per cent of Alberta's total population has had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 59.4 per cent are classified as having both doses.

Clayton said masks and vaccines are encouraged, but ultimately, those decisions are made by people within the community.

"We want them [the Alberta government and AHS] to take the lead and the responsibility," she said.

"What this letter says is that as municipal politicians, we don't feel that it's appropriate for us to be making decisions on health-care matters."