Get vaccinated and restrictions will lift, city says
By COLLIN GALLANT on June 9, 2021.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Hatters and Albertans will see more pandemic restrictions lifted this week, and potentially most later this month, if – stressed city emergency planners on Monday – Hatters and Albertans roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated. “We’ve gone through a few iterations in the province of reopening plans, but this is really in the near view,” said Merrick Brown, the city’s head of emergency management. “This would truly be that sense of normalcy that we’re all craving, we just have to hit that target.” The target in question is to get 70 per cent of Albertans receiving at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine. Two weeks after that point, when vaccinations are said to take full effect in blocking the virus or worst symptoms, almost all isolation measures, including a ban on indoor social gatherings and large outdoor gatherings, would be lifted. Alberta could get close to the figure next week considering new appointments that are already booked. However, with speed of first shot bookings starting to slow, and Medicine Hat lagging behind the provincial vaccination rate, Brown said now is the time for those hesitating to seriously consider their stance. “It does take a collective effort across the province, and 70 per cent is a very high number,” he said. “But it’s the difference between stage 2 and stage 3.” In questioning after the presentation, several councillors spoke in support of getting the shot. “People have different levels of anxiety (about vaccination),” said Coun. Robert Dumanowski. “Now is the time to reach out to friends of family – people you love – and talk to them about it.” In early June, Alberta entered Stage 1 of a provincial plan to ease a raft of restrictions brought in this spring to tackle a third wave of coronavirus infections. That allowed patio dining to return, some increases to indoor capacity for retail operations and outdoor gatherings. June 10 will see Stage 2 begin – again doubling indoor capacity for shops and churches as well as allowing indoor dining and some fitness activities – while Stage 3, a near total lifting would occur two weeks after 70 per cent of Albertans receive at least a first shot. Brown also presented specific figures about local vaccination rates compared to the province, which state the local community is lagging behind the rest of the province in almost all age groups except those older than 75. Overall, 63.8 per cent of Hatters older than 12 have received a first shot, compared to 66.4 per cent across the province. Age group comparisons: Ages 12-19 – Medicine Hat 47.9%, Alberta 53%; Age 20-39 – Medicine Hat 48.5%, Alberta 55.2%; Age 40-59 – Medicine Hat 64.7%, Alberta 69%; Age 60-74 – Medicine Hat 80%%, Alberta 81.3%; Age 75-plus – Medicine Hat 86.9%, Alberta 86.3%. Zoning change and CCDA wind down Council unanimously approved rezoning a single-family lot at 29 Fifth St. SE to allow a four-plex to be built on the site following a public hearing. Nearby residents argued the lot was too small for such a project and it wouldn’t fit the character of the block comprising mostly single-family homes. The developer, Gas City Investments, argued it could meet council goals of infill development and the building’s footprint was to be small enough to meet building regulations. Council also unanimously passed a bylaw dissolving the City Centre Development Agency – largely a perfunctory item after two thirds of votes cast by CCDA members voted to end the downtown business improvement organization in a May 18 referendum. The official end date of the organization is June 30. 26-25
