Chief Medical Officer of Health Doctor Deena Hinshaw addressed the province for the daily COVID-19 update today (February 16)

Hinshaw began with vaccine numbers, saying over 149,000 Albertans have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Of those Albertans, approximately 54,000 have been fully immunized with two doses.

There have been 263 new cases identified in Alberta from approximately 5,200 tests. The provincial total of COVID cases in the province now sits at 4,993.

Hinshaw also spoke about the COVID-19 variants, both from the UK and South Africa, saying they identified 15 variant cases on Friday, 18 on Saturday, 10 on Sunday, and 7 yesterday. There are 214 cases of the UK variant and 7 cases of the South Africa variant in Alberta right now.

There are currently 365 people in the hospital with 56 in intensive care. 

In Airdrie, there are 76 active cases of COVID-19. In Rocky View County, there are 33.

Hinshaw went on to address some common questions that have been continuously brought up regarding the current restrictions on restaurants around the province and what capacity percentage they are to abide by. According to Hinshaw, the restaurants across Alberta do not have a certain capacity limit. Instead, they have spacing regulations.

"Unlike other public settings, like retail, there are no specific capacity limits put in place in restaurants, cafe's, and pubs." says Hinshaw, " They are to practice physical distancing protocols, such as a minimum of 2 meters between tables and dining parties, as well as limiting the number of people who can be seated at a table with a maximum of 6; all from the same household or single person's cohort."

Hinshaw goes on to say that in a retail space everyone is wearing masks and are only briefly near one another in passing, while in restaurants nobody is wearing masks at their table and they're there for an extended period of time. So physical distancing, as opposed to capacity limits, was the option that made more sense. 

Along with the public's questions regarding sit-down eating establishments, Hinshaw says they are also frequently asked why the province isn't looking to ease social gathering restrictions until phase 3 of "A Path Forward". Hinshaw says it's a natural question to ask as Albertans couldn't spend the holidays or ring in the New Year with family and friends, but reminds the province that social gatherings are one of the main reasons cases spiked to an all-time high late last year.

"Evidence shows that in these social get-togethers result in the highest rate of transmission. The last spike in active COVID-19 cases followed thanksgiving, Halloween, and the gatherings that came with them. It's been incredibly difficult to sacrifice our social life, but this sacrifice has had the biggest positive impact on the province's active cases and its healthcare system."