Alberta’s Mask Mandate Is Coming Back As COVID-19 Hospitalizations Surge
There are a bunch of other new rules too.
With COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise in Alberta, the province is bringing back mandatory masks for all indoor public spaces.
The update from the Alberta government said the mandate will come into effect on Saturday, September 4, and will also apply to workplaces.
Update on COVID-19 – September 3 at 11:30 amwww.youtube.com
"With hospitalization rates rising, it is important that we take additional steps to help reduce the spread of COVID-19," said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, in a press release. "My ultimate goal continues to be to shift from pandemic to endemic and put more focus on the complete health of Albertans – we must learn to live with COVID. Getting vaccinated today is the best possible way for us to get there."
In addition to mandatory masks, alcohol will not be served past 10 p.m. at licensed establishments.
According to the press release, the province is also asking unvaccinated people to "limit their indoor social gatherings to close contacts of only two cohort families up to a maximum of 10 people."
Employers are also being asked to continue having staff work from home and pause any return to office plans.
This announcement comes the same day health officials in the province introduced a vaccine incentive for Albertans.