Kenney addresses summer events, mask mandates

Some scientists warn even vaccines can’t save our summer festival line up, because it takes weeks to build up immunity after shots. Crystal Laderas reports.

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – When will mask mandates end, and will we really see summer events like the Calgary Stampede happening this year?

Premier Jason Kenney addressed those and other questions during a Facebook live session Wednesday night.

Kenney said he’s optimistic about having summer events but we need to maintain the current pace of vaccinations to get to a point where we have a risk tolerance high enough to hold those festivals and larger gatherings.

“I would not be surprised if there are some limitations on crowd sizes, on proximity, on things like that. I still have a hard time getting around in my mind how we can have 25, 30,000 people sitting cheek to jowl next to each other in that stands at the Stampede.”

WATCH: Future of summer festivals uncertain because of COVID-19

Kenney added there is a working group involving summer events organizers who are working with public health officials to develop recommendations on safely holding events like the Stampede.

“I keep asking them to come forward with their initial recommendations,” Kenney said. “I hope to get that at our COVID Cabinet Committee in the near future.”

When it comes to mask mandates, Kenney said there are reams of studies showing it significantly reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and there’s no specific timeline on when mandates will end but he points out, he’d rather have a mask mandate than a lockdown.

“If we are able to maintain the current pace of inoculation and do get the supplies that the feds have promised us, that we should be in a totally different situation by the end of June.”

The provincial government has said all adults who wish to get the COVID-19 vaccine can do so by June.

The province’s mask mandate was put in place in December as case numbers were exceeding 1,000 on a daily basis.

The City of Calgary has mandated masks since last August.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today