CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER ADMITS KENNEY’S COVID-19 MEASURES AREN’T WORKING

EDMONTON - Alberta’s NDP is calling on Premier Jason Kenney to admit his failure to slow the spread of COVID-19, and publicly release the recommendations being considered by his cabinet. 

The call for the Premier to come clean follows repeated comments from the CMOH, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who conceded measures from the UCP government have not slowed the spread of COVID-19.

“I will be blunt - so far we are not bending the curve back down,” said Dr. Hinshaw. “I am concerned - more than ever before - about the spread of the virus.”

On Monday, it was announced that 16 additional Albertans died as a result of COVID-19, and an additional 1,735 positive cases were confirmed. 

“COVID-19 is out of control,” said NDP Health Critic David Shepherd. “Our hospitals are buckling under the pressure, our frontline workers are exhausted and many are sick themselves. We’re on the verge of setting up field hospitals because, frankly, the Premier has failed to get a handle on this public health emergency.

“The Premier has lost the trust of Albertans. The only way he can redeem himself is to come clean on the public health recommendations he’s ignored, release the recommendations he is considering, and work with the experts to combat this deadly virus.”

In Question Period Monday, the Premier continued to mock calls for a provincewide mask mandate and downplayed the dangers of COVID-19 by noting that some people infected with the virus don’t show symptoms.