Alberta to lift almost all remaining health restrictions

The Government of Alberta says as COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline and pressure on the health-care system decreases, step two of the province’s path back to normal will begin on March 1.

Since step one began on Feb. 8, COVID-19 positivity rates in the province have continued to decline. Hospitalizations in intensive and non-intensive care have also steadily declined and are at the lowest levels since Jan. 22.

Effective March 1, Alberta will begin step two, which will include the end of limits on social gatherings, capacity limits for large venues, remaining school requirements, screening of youth for activities, the mandatory work-from-home order and public masking requirements except in high-risk settings.

“Over the last three weeks, cases and hospitalizations have continued to drop as we have started lifting restrictions,” Jason Kenney, Premier said. “This promising trend puts Alberta in a position to safely remove the majority of remaining public health measures. This is a good day for Albertans as we get another step closer to getting back to normal.”

Under step two, masking requirements in high-risk settings will continue, including at AHS facilities, continuing care centres and on public transit. Isolation remains mandatory for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result. These public health protections will remain in place until step three, which will occur at a later date provided hospitalizations continue to decline.

Additional details on all restrictions and measures in place are available at alberta.ca/CovidMeasures.