Strategic COVID-19 Pandemic Committee 

The COVID-19 restrictions are saving lives.

COVID-19 Questions & Myths

Here is what we know:

  • The control measures have prevented Albertan infection, hospitalization, and deaths from COVID-19, compared to what would have happened if Alberta had taken no measures. This can be measured from the flattened curve and compared to other places. Alberta can also compare our trends in each wave as a result of increasing and decreasing restrictions.

  • Many places have not implemented effective controls in time. They were either slow to act, acted in a fragmented way or did not act. The effects of the virus and its fear have been uncontrolled, resulting in severe damage to the economy and peoples’ health.

    • With uncontrolled spread emergency departments and ICUs are overwhelmed. People with life threatening conditions other than COVID-19 have died from lack of treatment.

    • Businesses suffered from absent employees and customers were afraid to shop for fear of getting COVID-19. This results in bankruptcies, unemployment, and financial hardship.

    • Families reported more anxiety, and depression as a result of fear of infection, concern about vulnerable loved ones, and voluntary social isolation to protect themselves.

    • Stress increased for families not able to visit loved ones dying in hospitals.

    • Hospital morgues and funeral homes were overwhelmed from too many bodies with refrigeration spaces in short supply.

    • Healthcare staff became physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. Some have been infected, hospitalized, and died. Some have committed suicide.

  • Places that act quickly to control the virus reduce societal damage.

    • Emergency departments, ICUs, hospitals, funeral homes, morgues, and their employees are able to manage.

    • There were reports of decreased deaths due to motor vehicle collisions.

    • Some businesses went bankrupt, people suffered financial hardship, and unemployment.

    • There were reports of people experiencing loneliness, anxiety, and fear because of social isolation.

    • There were suggestions of increased deaths due to drug addiction, intimate partner violence, and potentially suicide, although reports are inconsistent.

    • There were reports of people delaying needed medical care including potentially life-threatening conditions, particularly from early in the pandemic.

The strategic approach is to first get the virus under control, then relax measures guided by data. This approach minimizes possible economic and population health damage by the restrictions. Relaxing measures before the virus is controlled allows COVID-19 to inflict maximum harm to the economy and the health of Albertans because of the need to restart and extend more severe restrictions and restore health care capacity.