Does Alberta ‘care if people get sick or die?': Push for lockdown, #FirebreakAB rejected by Premier Jason Kenney
As COVID-19 rages on in Alberta, the province's premier Jason Kenney continues to reject calls for a "firebreak" lockdown measure to slow the spread of the virus.
"We are monitoring the trends and the numbers very closely everyday, if we need to take additional measures we will, but they have to be effective," Kenney said at a press conference on Tuesday. "One of the challenges that we are facing is that the pressure on our hospitals is coming overwhelmingly from the unvaccinated share of our population."
"We also find that, that segment of the population are the least likely to comply with public health measures or restrictions... So it is a complex situation because if we were to bring in widespread restrictions that would most likely be complied with [by] the people who are vaccinated, but we would likely see large-scale noncompliance among the unvaccinated population."
When asked by reporters if a "firebreak" lockdown, specifically, is on the table and when something like that could be implemented, the premier responded by saying the province is still monitoring to see how effective the current measures have been on limiting COVID-19 spread.
"If the advice we receive is that these measures have been insufficient to abate the case growth pressure and future hospitalization pressure, then we will take additional measures," Kenney said.
'Firebreakers' or 'circuit breakers' are essential, experts say
A statement from Dr. Katharine Smart, President of the Canadian Medical Association, states health systems in Alberta and Saskatchewan are at "breaking point."
"Early relaxation of public health measures has left two crumbling health care systems in their wake and the dire realities are now in full view," the statement reads. "What is happening is as heartbreaking as it was preventable.
"The Canadian Medical Association is urgently calling on the provincial and federal governments to work together to: increase vaccination rates through mandatory vaccination in health care settings; institute effective public health measures such as ‘firebreakers’ or ‘circuit breakers’ to aggressively control COVID-19 cases; increase the mobility of health workers between provinces and support the safe transportation of patients to other jurisdictions who have ICU capacity."
Several people, including health experts, have taken to social media to respond to Kenney's response to calls for "firebreak" lockdown measures in Alberta.
Making more ICU beds doesn’t bend the curve.
Vaccine incentives don’t work, passports do.
It’s too late to vaccinate ourselves out of this.
Closing schools, restaurants & gatherings will work to stop covid.
The Alberta government doesn’t care if people die. #FirebreakAB— Chuck Wurster, MD (He/Him) (@ChuckWurster) September 29, 2021
This whole bloody mess in Alberta comes down to one thing.
Do they care if people get sick or die?
That’s what matters.
Do they care if Albertans are suffering?
The answer our government gave yesterday is a resounding NO. They don’t care…at all. #FirebreakAB— Chuck Wurster, MD (He/Him) (@ChuckWurster) September 29, 2021
Me: “Seeing patients come in day after day in extreme respiratory distress — basically drowning — the premier doesn’t think this is bad enough, he doesn’t think this is significant enough to warrant additional measures?” #FirebreakAB https://t.co/asbcU4L3iF
— Ilan Schwartz MD PhD (@GermHunterMD) September 29, 2021
Hard to believe the dystopia that Alberta has become
- surgeries cancelled incl kids w cancer
- ICUs nearing 2x capacity
- dozen+ deaths daily
- Doctors begging for #FirebreakAB
Premier beholden to a libertarian ideology prioritizing his flailing political career over lives— Ilan Schwartz MD PhD (@GermHunterMD) September 28, 2021
Worse than worthless @jkenney @CMOH_Alberta presser today. No plans to implement meaningful public health measures. Vaccinations are important but will not prevent imminent health system collapse in AB. The ship is sinking and the ICU lifeboats are nearly all full.#FirebreakAB
— Noel Gibney (@noelgibney) September 29, 2021
The entire medical profession is pleading government for help. We are drowning in the hospitals, HCWs have their hands outstretched pleading for help/assistance and the government can only stand on the shore and yell "thank you" at us... #FirebreakAB
— Parksy (@PfParks) September 28, 2021
When he opened for the summer, he knew. When he ignored the science, he knew. When he legitimized misinformation, he knew...What is the consequence for Premier Kenney & every politician who knowingly causes suffering & death among the people they're supposed to lead? #FirebreakAB
— Naheed Dosani (@NaheedD) September 28, 2021
When people write about this #COVID19 pandemic years from now, I wonder if they’ll reflect on how much of the death, pain and suffering was unnecessary if we’d just done what we needed to do instead of what we wanted.#MedTwitter #FirebreakAB
— Dr. Alika Lafontaine (@AlikaMD) September 28, 2021
So, a #FirebreakAB would be "unfair to the vaccinated", but overflowing hospitals and cancelled procedures isn't?
Is that really the logic here? Really?— Carl Boucher (@CarlBoucherKnee) September 27, 2021
The peak not happening until late Oct and no immediate action to curb spread now means hospitals will get crushed through December and businesses will be closed for the holiday season. Do you know how I know this? Because that’s exactly what happened last year. 🙃🙃 #FirebreakAB
— Katy Ingraham (@KatyIngraham) September 29, 2021