Premier Jason Kenney is recommending no more large parties or social gatherings will be allowed in all Alberta communities on the watch list, including Okotoks and Foothills County, for the immediate future due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases across the province..
“Effective immediately Alberta is expanding the mandatory 15 person limit on social gatherings to include all communities that are on the watch list,” said Kenney at a COVID-19 press update on Nov. 6. “This includes the majority of communities surrounding Edmonton and Calgary
“It means no large parties, no extended family gatherings, banquets or receptions of more than 15 people.”
The Premier says the province is making a strong request to stop having parties, reiterating that it is voluntary. He says 40 per cent of cases are traced back to social gatherings.
The 15-person limit recommendation does not include gatherings such as seated-audience conferences, sports and shows, dining in restaurants, fitness centres, funeral services, wedding ceremonies and worship services.
Okotoks is presently on the watch list with 20 active COVID-19 cases. As is Foothills County which has 23 active cases.
As well, the Province is recommending individuals in communities on the watchlist to have no more than three cohorts — your core household, your school, and one other sport/social cohort. Young children in child care can be part of four cohorts.
A ‘watch’ status with Alberta Health Services is defined as ‘the Province is monitoring the risk and discussing with local government(s) and other community leaders the possible need for additional health measures’. It requires two indicators: at least 10 active cases and more than 50 active cases per 100,000, according to information provided by the Town of Okotoks.
At present Okotoks has a rate of 57.1 cases per 100,000 population, based on Alberta’s population of 34,999 people in Okotoks.
The Town of Okotoks uses a population count of 30,000 people, which puts Okotoks on the watch status at 15 people — the number councillors used to pass the mandatory mask bylaw in all indoor facilities recently.
Foothills County has a rate of 103.2 cases per 100,000 people, based on a population of 22,291 people.
Province wide, Friday's numbers indicated 609 new cases confirmed with hospitalizations at 171, 33 of whom are in ICU.
To see the communities at watch status — blue on the map — click here.
