CALGARY (660 NEWS) – Contact tracing will be coming back to Alberta schools, government sources have confirmed to 660 NEWS.
The province is expected to make the official announcement at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Premier Jason Kenney will be joined by Health Minister Jason Copping, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw, and Alberta Health Services President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu for the announcement.
BREAKING: Gov sources confirm to me that contact tracing in schools is coming back to #Alberta. Official announcement at 3:30 w/ Kenney, Copping, LaGrange, Hinshaw & Yiu. They may also talk about Thanksgiving during COVID-19. #yyc #yeg #Calgary #Edmonton #abpoli #ableg #COVID19AB pic.twitter.com/U3asyW3GO7
— Saif Kaisar (@StaySaif) October 5, 2021
The return of contact tracing comes as Alberta continues to struggle with increasing COVID-19 case loads.
Contact tracing had been taking place in schools last semester. However, as part of changes when restrictions were loosened this summer, those measures were scaled back in classrooms.
Many had been calling for the province to reinstate contact tracing, as well as other measures, as more students got sick.
Though the situation in Alberta continues to be dire, the province reported on Monday a slight drop in the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients in hospital.
On Monday, an infectious diseases expert urged people to continue to take every precaution possible, saying COVID-19 could still be something we are dealing with for decades to come.
Experts continue to urge people to get vaccinated if they can, to protect those around them, including children who are not eligible for a shot yet.
You can listen live on 660 NEWS.
