BVRH News

Special Bulletin February 24, 2021

Special Lodge Bulletin
February 24, 2021

What a difference six weeks makes! Now that the vast majority of our
lodge residents are on the verge of peak immunity, it is important to
understand that even vaccinated people must continue to follow the rules
and restrictions, including masking, distancing, etc. This is because even at
peak immunity you are not 100% safe (although you are close) and you can
still carry the virus and spread it to those who are not yet vaccinated – such as
non-immunized lodge residents, lodge workers, family, store workers, etc.
Please read this bulletin, discuss it with those closest to you and feel free to ask questions.
Alberta remains under a state of public health emergency and aggressive action is still
required to protect you and our healthcare system. Unfortunately, the current wave is
keeping case numbers high, placing pressure on our healthcare system, and the future is
somewhat uncertain due to the unknown impacts that the spreading variants will have.
However, the very good news is the vaccines have already had amazing impacts on the
number of cases in Continuing Care facilities, in fact outbreaks in these places are down
92% since Christmas! Still, we must all remain careful until many more Albertans have
been immunized, and I recognize and appreciate the helpful efforts that most of you have
and will continue to make to protect yourselves and others, despite the great challenges of
these times.

The current situation is quite a bit better, but it is still critical: there are more than 4,500
active cases in the province, with around 20 in the BVRH region. Tragically nearly 1,900
Albertans have died, and our health system is still under pressure. The restrictions that are
currently in place will not be lifted until some time in March at the earliest; they are
necessary to slow the growth in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths while the vaccines are
distributed. So far more than 180,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the
province, and nearly 75,000 Albertans have been fully immunized.

We are obviously all still very tired of Covid-19, and yet we still must stay the course and
work together for the common good. The core requirements detailed in December’s
bulletins remain in effect, including:

• Stay in your suite if you feel at all unwell except to seek medical assistance.
• Wash and or sanitize your hands often.
• PLEASE wear a mask/covering when you are not in your suite, except when you are
actively eating, drinking, or exercising.
• Put on a mask before opening your door and when you have others into your suite.
• Stay apart from others, avoid sick people and crowded places.
• Have the things that you need delivered as much as possible.
• Please connect socially with others via phone or internet as much as possible.
• Do not leave the lodge property except for truly essential outings.
• No indoor social gatherings in any setting – in lodges limit close contacts to 2 other
lodge residents. This means you can have one or two close contacts from inside of the
lodge into your suite for visits, but it must be the same one or two people until the
state of emergency is lifted. You should be masked when visiting with others.
• Outdoor gatherings are banned.
• Places of worship at 1/7 normal attendance with mandatory masking and distancing.
• Mandatory masks for indoor workplaces and public spaces across the province.
• Avoid non-essential travel to other communities.

Please, do not look for loopholes, just do your part.

Sincerely,
Ian