Dr. Deena Hinshaw - The Canadian Press

By The Canadian Press

Hinshaw and LaGrange to speak this morning

Alberta’s top doctor to update COVID-19 situation, back-to-school rules

Aug 13, 2021 | 6:53 AM

EDMONTON, AB. — Alberta’s chief medical officer of health and education minister are to provide an update today on COVID-19 and back-to-school guidance.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw and Minister Adriana LaGrange have scheduled a 9:30 a.m. news conference about ongoing work to protect public health in schools as cases in the province spike and concerns grow.

Public health experts, physicians and others have criticized the province’s plan to eliminate most testing, tracing and isolation measures come Monday.

Many have expressed concerns about children returning to classrooms in September, especially since those under the age of 12 are not yet eligible for vaccines.

Hinshaw has repeatedly said children are at low-risk for severe outcomes as a result of COVID-19.

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But critics of the province’s plan have drawn attention to Alberta’s limited number of pediatric intensive care beds and the potential for young Albertans to develop serious illnesses such as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, severe COVID-19 pneumonia and long-COVID.