From coast to coast, provinces are starting to loosen restrictions brought on by the novel coronavirus.
Most provincial governments put states of emergencies in place in March, and May 4 saw many dip their toes back in the water.
“What we’re seeing is different provinces have different risk factors, they have different connectivity and they have different population bases,” said the University of Saskatchewan’s Emily Jenkins.
“So it does make sense that each province needs to tailor its approach.”
Jenkins teaches an emergency management course at the university’s school of public health which looks into disease outbreaks, natural disasters and bioterrorism.
Jenkins told Global News a number of factors would’ve been considered in each province’s plan including density, age, susceptibility and the connectivity of each jurisdiction.
In her opinion, the best reopening plan she has seen is when provinces move to the next phase after seeing changes in data rather than marking a date on the calendar.
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“If we can tailor our staged reopening to the data rather than coming up with dates that are somewhat arbitrary, that would be really transparent and a real win,” Jenkins said.
Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba opened different aspects of their respective economies this week.
While golfers can’t play 18 in Saskatchewan until next week, Alberta courses opened with restrictions on May 2.
In Manitoba, the province’s retail services and restaurant patios opened on May 4.
Retail isn’t planned to open until May 19 in Saskatchewan, while restaurants and pubs are listed in phase three, which doesn’t have a date.
“We really can’t take a cookie cutter approach to addressing that. Some people might say, ‘Wouldn’t it be better to have a singular national plan?’ But in many ways we need very much provincial and regional responses and the ability to move nimbly,” said University of Saskatchewan political scientist Greg Poelzer.
He added a plan with the ability to alter appears to be the best way forward as the situation can change in a matter of days.
Poelzer said Alberta’s approach appears to be slightly more aggressive give the number of cases in that province and said Saskatchewan’s plan seems to be reasonable and balanced.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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