‘This week is going to be critical’ for reopening Calgary and Brooks: Dr. Hinshaw

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) — Calgary and Brooks are expected to learn Friday if both regions will be allowed to move forward with the next phase of Alberta’s relaunch strategy slated for May 25.

The rest of the province was able to proceed with stage one of the relaunch plan last Thursday, but Calgary and Brooks had to take a slower approach as COVID-19 cases continued to be high.

Hairdressers and restaurants in both regions were told only hours before they were set to reopen that they would have to wait a few extra days before they could resume operations, something Premier Jason Kenney says he regretted.

“I very much regret that more notice wasn’t given,” the premier said.

“I was expecting us to be able to proceed province-wide based on the indications I had received.”

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said during Tuesday’s COVID-19 update that the numbers in Calgary and Brooks appear to be “stable”.

“I think the important thing to remember is that the incubation period is up to 14 days, but the average incubation period is in that five to eight day range. This week is going to be critical,” Hinshaw said.

Hinshaw says this week is critical for re-opening in Calgary and Brooks. She says the numbers are stable but will have to wait another few days to see the impact of reopening last week and if more cases will appear

— Jeff Slack (@Jeffslack660) May 19, 2020

By mid-week, the province will be able to provide a more accurate understanding of how last Thursday’s reopening has impacted the province according to Hinshaw.

“Over the next couple of days as we see the daily case counts that’s what we are going to be looking at very closely,” she added.

As of Tuesday, there are 1,004 active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, 810 of those located in the Calgary Zone.

There are currently 61 people who are hospitalized, eight of those in the ICU.