Image from PANow

By Connor Gunn

Doctors note required for mask exemptions in Alberta

May 13, 2021 | 4:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced today there have been too many people not wearing face masks in public places.

In light of this, starting May 13, all Albertans who cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition must provide a note from their doctor or a health professional.

The list of eligible medical conditions that do not require a face mask are as follows:

• Sensory processing disorders
• Developmental delay or cognitive impairment
• Mental illness disorders including:
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Psychotic disorders
  • Dissociative identity disorder
  • Depressive disorders
• Facial trauma or recent oral or jaw surgery
• Contact dermatitis or allergic reactions to mask components
• Clinically significant acute respiratory distress

The document from AHS can be found here.

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Alberta Health Services has released its update on COVID-19 for Thursday, covering statistics compiled over the past 24 hours.

1,558 cases were confirmed across the province, bringing the total to 215,193. Of those, 24,586 cases are active while 188,475 people have recovered.

In the South Zone, 60 people tested positive with 10 of those coming from Lethbridge.

Active infections in the city fell by 34 and fell regionally.

Since yesterday’s update, nine Albertans died from COVID. To date, 2,128 Albertans have died as a result of the virus. There were two new deaths in the South Zone including a male in his 80s and a male in his 70s.

Provincially, 722 patients are currently hospitalized including 177 who have been admitted to intensive care.

With another 15,266 tests conducted over the past day, there has now been a total of 4,375,995 tests completed on 2,103,334 different people.

2,019,713 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta as of the end of May 12.

276 cases, or about 17 per cent of today’s total, were variants.

Chart from AHS

Below is a breakdown of cases per health zone:

• Calgary Zone – 87,284 cases, 11,584 active
  • 263 in hospital, 61 in ICU
  • 645 deaths (one new)
• Edmonton Zone – 73,621 cases, 5,470 active
  • 255 in hospital, 77 in ICU
  • 1,054 deaths (five new)
• North Zone – 23,900 cases, 3,618 active
  • 95 in hospital, 16 in ICU
  • 165 deaths
• Central Zone – 18,753 cases, 2,647 active
  • 68 in hospital, 11 in ICU
  • 145 deaths (one new)
• South Zone – 11,605 cases, 1,255 active
  • 41 in hospital, 12 in ICU
  • 123 deaths (two new)

Below is a breakdown of cases in the South:

• Lethbridge – 4,606 cases (10 new), 417 active, 37 deaths
  • West Lethbridge – 1,667 cases (three new), 158 active, three deaths
  • North Lethbridge – 1,561 cases (three new), 152 active, 10 deaths
  • South Lethbridge – 1,377 cases (four new), 105 active, 24 deaths
• Brooks – 1,443 cases (three new), 38 active, 15 deaths (one new)
• Lethbridge County – 1,169 cases (13 new), 186 active, 11 deaths
• Medicine Hat – 1,102 cases (19 new), 206 active, 18 deaths
• Cardston County – 973 cases (five new), 76 active, 17 deaths
• M.D. of Taber – 546 cases (one new), 58 active, six deaths
• County of Warner – 413 cases (two new), 118 active, three deaths
• M.D. of Pincher Creek – 288 cases (one new), 20 active, five deaths
• Fort Macleod – 296 cases (one new), 73 active, five deaths
• Cypress County – 254 cases (five new), 26 active, zero deaths
• County of Newell – 196 cases (one new), 16 active, two deaths
• County of Forty Mile – 154 cases, 10 active, three deaths
• Crowsnest Pass – 67 cases (three new), 13 active, one death (one new)
• Waterton – One case, zero active, zero deaths