NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE Merrick Brown, director of health, safety, environment and emergency management, talks of steps the city is taking to be ready to respond, if needed, to the COVID-19 virus. There are currently no cases of COVID-19 in Medicine Hat.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Emergency management for the city is making preparations to reduce the risk if and when Medicine Hat has a COVID-19 case.
Merrick Brown, director of health, safety, environment and emergency management, says they are looking at the potential.
“We want to be prepared. There is still a low risk.”
The emergency management team has weekly discussions and has been asking city staff to do what they can to protect themselves.
“We are actively monitoring risk level,” said Brown. “We have prepared for this possible impact to the community, how to support AHS with containment and how to maintain essential services for the public.”
Unlike a local flood emergency, AHS is the lead agency on the COVID-19 virus, he said. The Alberta Emergency Management Agency is also playing a supporting role in providing information.
“We’re helping AHS exact their plain,” said Brown.
He notes there is a higher standard for the city because of emergency services. Essential services have to be maintained, some of which include the supply of water, waste water treatment, utility distribution, police and fire services.
There is a provincial plan and methodology for handling a pandemic if there is one, he explained.
“We support them with their activities as a local authority,” said Brown.
He points out there are no cases yet in Medicine Hat and that the province has not declared a public health emergency. They are not directing the city, at this stage, on what measures to take.
The Public Health Agency of Canada does the assessment of the risk with mass gatherings, said Brown. The risk locally is still low but could change.
Brown says there is currently no need for measures such as reducing face-to-face meetings.
Alberta’s chief medical officer of health has been reminding people returning from travels to specific countries to self-isolate for 14 days. Anyone travelling is asked to self-monitor. They had all been requested to call Health Link 811 for information about testing for COVID-19.
Brown points out the city has no list of people who have travelled but he is reminding people to follow the MOH’s directions.
The city has already added extra hand sanitizing stations at public facilities, said Brown.
The MOH announced Tuesday there are now 14 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta.
https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx
