Reopen Lethbridge

Reopen Lethbridge

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, different regions and countries have seen different levels of infection at different times.

In Alberta, this is no different, with new cases originating primarily in different parts of Alberta in different parts of the year.

In fact, in 2020, the Alberta government wisely introduced health and social restrictions on a regional basis, allowing areas with fewer cases to continue operating in a closer-to-normal fashion, while areas with higher case-counts faced stricter limits.

Unfortunately, the Province abandoned this model towards the end of 2020, citing only a 'potential' risk that having different levels of restrictions might contribute to further spread, despite there being no evidence this had actually happened.

Now, thanks to that earlier decision, as case numbers drop across the Province, areas with only a very small number of cases are stuck waiting many weeks and months until areas with more cases also see reductions.

This Province-wide lockdown has crushed small businesses across Alberta, stifling entrepreneurship and economic growth, and caused untold effects on the mental health of the communities that are stuck at home.

This is unfair to businesses and citizens in regions where the spread of COVID is minimal, such as Southern Alberta.

Southern Alberta currently has only 367 of the 4,633 total active cases in the Province, and just 40 total hospitalizations.

It's time for the Alberta government to take a common sense approach to the pandemic.

The Province as a whole is already well under the number of hospitalizations suggested for moving to Step 3, and many regions are doing even better.

Premier Jason Kenney and the Alberta government should immediately move Alberta to Step 3 of the reopening plan, and make all future decisions about restrictions on a regional basis.