The governments of the West face quite a quandary on leadership.
The nations that built and sustain the freest, wealthiest societies history has ever seen are now awash in good-natured but borderline despotic and socialist liberals – think Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, Emmanuel Macron, Jacinda Ardern – or conservatives who want to behave like them – think Boris Johnson or Scott Morrison.
But step down one tier and you can find sanity: Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, and now Jason Kenney.
Kenney is the conservative premier of the Canadian province of Alberta, who on Biden’s first day in office was among the loudest critics of the new president’s plan to gut the Keystone XL pipeline.
Last week, Kenney’s government announced that it would treat COVID-19 like other strains of the flu.
As Canadian journalist Keean Bexte wrote, “COVID-19 is officially losing its special status in Alberta, signaling an end to the pandemic in the province. The Chinese Virus will be treated just like the flu and other respiratory diseases in Alberta.”
In other words, no more lockdowns, no more mandatory masking, no more quarantines, and no more nonsense.
“Nearly 75.6 percent of eligible Albertans have now received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 64.3 percent are fully immunized,” Kenney’s administration said in a press release explaining the decision.
To put that number, and Kenney’s response, in context, 65 percent of Americans over age 18 have been fully vaccinated. Yet the Biden administration and some Democratic governors are talking about returning to mask mandates, lockdowns, and mandatory vaccinations, even as the death toll is the lowest since the pandemic began.
“Vaccines dramatically reduce the risk of severe outcomes and the risk of infection. While COVID-19 cases may rise in the coming months, a surge of hospitalizations and other severe outcomes is much less likely thanks to vaccines,” the Kenney administration said, demonstrating more faith in vaccines than the U.S. government that facilitated their development.
Consequently, “In the coming weeks, Alberta’s health system will take steps to make sure that it is ready to support all patients, including those with COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, like influenza, which health officials expect to increase this year. As a part of this, Alberta will bring COVID-19 quarantine, isolation, and other measures in line with those used for influenza and other viruses.”
Kenney’s government is encouraging constituents to get vaccinated and take precautions. But it’s not making things mandatory.
As of Thursday for Albertans, quarantine for close contacts “shift from mandatory to recommended.” Among other immediately effective guidelines:
“Anyone who is not fully immunized should avoid high-risk locations such as continuing care facilities and crowded indoor spaces if they have been in contact with a case in the past 14 days.”
“Contact tracers will no longer notify close contacts of exposure. Individuals are asked to inform their close contacts when informed of their positive results.
“Outbreak management and identification will focus on high-risk locations, including continuing and acute care facilities and high-risk workplaces.”
“Asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended. Testing will continue to be available for individuals who are symptomatic.”
And as of Aug. 16:
“Provincial mandatory masking orders will be lifted. Some masking in acute care or continuing care facilities may still be required.”
“Isolation hotels and quarantine support will no longer be available.”
“Isolation following a positive COVID-19 test result will no longer be required, but strongly recommended. Individuals with symptoms of any respiratory infection should still remain at home until symptoms have resolved.”
“Public health will focus on investigating severe cases that require hospitalization and any deaths due to COVID-19.
“Universal masking will not be required in schools once students return. However, it is recommended as a temporary outbreak intervention in response to respiratory outbreaks.”
COVID-19 “testing will be available through assessment centers until Aug. 31 and, after that, will be in primary care settings including physicians’ offices. For those with severe illness requiring urgent or emergency care, testing will be available in acute care and hospital settings.”
Last week, at a press conference, Kenney said, “We have to get used to fact that cases no longer equal high levels of hospitalizations or fatalities. Our focus is on vaccines instead of restrictions as the most scientific response (to COVID).”
Common sense seems to be prevailing in one corner of the globe.
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