Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw. (Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko

Province announces changes to supply of PPE during COVID-19 pandemic

May 25, 2020 | 4:07 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – While the Government of Alberta reports low numbers of COVID-19 infections Monday, the way that personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks and gloves are distributed will change.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw believes much of Alberta’s success in responding to the pandemic so far has been in ensuring an adequate supply of PPE to those who truly need it.

In that vein, she announced that private businesses can continue to access these supplies through the government until June 30 at a “fair market price”, but only if they have no other means of doing so in the short term.

“After June 30, they will need to get PPE from their own suppliers.”

Dentists will be able to get N95 masks for emergency procedures only and at a cost to the clinic. The same applies to morticians performing embalming procedures.

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She says these changes were made to ensure publicly-funded emergency services will not have to worry about getting enough PPE.

“There will be no changes in the provincial PPE supply for hospitals and clinics operated by Alberta Health Services, continuing care facilities, supportive living facilities and home care services which are operated or contracted by Alberta Health Services, publicly-funded lodges, mental health housing, residential addiction treatment facilities and shelter operators, and police, fire, and emergency medical services.”

Dr. Hinshaw also provided her regular COVID-19 update for Monday.

Provincially, there were only 19 new infections, bringing the total to 6,879. Of those, 5,979 people have fully recovered while 762 cases are still active.

The South Health Zone only saw a single new case, which was in Cypress County.

Another three Albertans have died as a result of the virus, meaning it has now claimed the lives of 138. All three were in the Calgary zone, pushing the region’s total into triple digits.

The breakdown by regional health zone is as follows:

• Calgary zone – 4,764 cases, 594 active
  • 101 deaths (three new)
  • 36 in hospital, four in ICU
• South zone – 1,233 cases, 90 active
  • Eight deaths
  • Two in hospital
• Edmonton zone – 524 cases, 47 active
  • 13 deaths
  • Five in hospital, one in ICU
• North zone – 235 cases, 17 active
  • 15 deaths
  • Two in hospital
• Central zone – 99 cases, three active
  • One death

The breakdown for the South Health Zone by community is as follows:

• Brooks – 1,095 cases, 52 active, seven deaths
• Medicine Hat – 40 cases, eight active
• Lethbridge – 27 cases, nine active
  • West Lethbridge – 12 cases, five active
  • South Lethbridge – 12 cases, three active
  • North Lethbridge – Three cases, one active
• Cardston County – 24 cases, 13 active
• County of Newell – 15 cases, two active
• Cypress County – 14 cases (one new), 6 active
• Fort Macleod – Five cases, one active
• Special Areas No. 2 – Two cases, zero active, one death
• M.D. of Taber – Two cases, zero active
• County of Forty Mile – Two cases, zero active
• Lethbridge County – One case, zero active