Calgary Mayor Says There Are Only 5 Reasons You Should Leave The House Right Now

Don't think it's time to hit the town just yet. While Alberta is beginning to consider opening up non-essential businesses slowly, the Calgary mayor has come forward to say that we should still be staying home. According to Naheed Nenshi, people in the city should only leave the house for one of five reasons. He acknowledges that while Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has begun to make moves to reopen the province, we're still not in the clear. 

In an address to the public on Friday, May 1, the Calgary mayor discussed Premier Kenney’s plans to reopen the province slowly. 

This includes being able to go for hikes while following social distancing rules. 

Acknowledging that COVID-19 numbers have plateaued, he noted that the city is not yet over the pandemic. 

During a question and answer period, Nenshi reiterated that it is important to social distance and stay home. 

In fact, he said that there are only five main reasons as to why you should be leaving the house. 

“We are moving to a message that says stay safe more than stay home,” said Nenshi. “But I will repeat it’s best to stay home.”

The Mayor stated that if we are not staying home, then we should only be leaving the house for one of the five reasons.

The first is to go to work. If you are providing essential services then that is an acceptable reason to be leaving the house in Nenshi's eyes.

Nenshi mentions that the second reason is shopping to provide groceries. But even then, he mentions take out and curbside pickup is an option. 

Volunteering came in at number three.

He suggested that this could be helping someone who may not be able to do things for themselves such as getting essentials. 

He also stated that we could be outside with our family or cohort group and physically distancing while getting fresh air or physical activity. 

The fifth on the list was a brief socially isolated visit such as having a conversation with a friend at the end of your driveway. 

He did note that while we can see people in a safe manner, it doesn't mean we should be having drinks in a backyard with our friends all night. 

“Brief socially isolated visits are okay and they should be outdoors not indoors,” said the mayor. 

He added a number six at the end of it all stating that wearing a mask was always a good idea. While it is not mandatory, Nenshi did explain how a mask can help. 

Data posted by the province confirms that there are currently 5,355 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta with most coming from the Calgary Zone.