Alberta will not scale back COVID testing on Sept. 27

A medical assistant prepares to take a swab from a patient at a new drive-thru and walk-up coronavirus testing site in Seattle, Saturday, April 25, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Elaine Thompson

EDMONTON (CityNews) – The Alberta government will continue with COVID-19 testing as it is currently offered.

Comments made by the province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, in August suggested the province would be scaling back COVID testing as of Sept. 27, after initial plans to scrap measures were aborted three days before they were set to be removed.

Throughout July and early August, the province also faced criticism as plans were released to remove the restriction, which included the removal of mandatory isolation for those who tested positive for COVID.

However, on Monday, Alberta Health confirmed none of the suggested plans would go ahead.

“Yes, I can confirm this. Testing will continue as it is currently offered (anyone exhibiting any symptom or those linked to an outbreak),” said Chris Bourdeau, Director of Alberta Health, in a statement.

“It also applies to other items that were scheduled to stop on Sept. 27.”

Those other items include:

• Mandatory masking in publicly accessible transit, taxis and ride-shares;
• Mandatory isolation for ten days for those with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result.