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Alberta to double daily COVID testing by June, says Minister of Health

 Alberta to double daily COVID testing by June, says Minister of Health
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alberta testing
alberta testing

We’re well on our way to flattening that curve, folks! Minister of Health, Tyler Shandro announced today that we’ve taken a number of huge steps towards healing from the COVID-19 pandemic, during a routine briefing held by the Alberta Government.

For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Alberta’s recovered cases made up more than half of the province’s total confirmed cases of the coronavirus. This is huge!

In addition to that incredible milestone, Minister Shandro also announced a shared investment of new technology and equipment, that more than doubles our province’s testing capabilities.

Thanks to a 1.7 million dollar donation made by the Calgary Health Trust and it’s donors, health care workers will be able to perform more than 16,000 tests a day by June. As of right now, we’re only able to do about 7,000.

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In total, the new gear will cost a whopping 4.5 million but will ease the strain on lab workers and will make the process way quicker than it has been.

“Testing is a critical element to our province’s response to COVID-19 and it’s essential to our province’s relaunch strategy,” he said.

The minister also announced that he has signed an order that will allow police to obtain COVID-19 test results if an individual deliberately puts them at risk by coughing or spitting on or near them, something that apparently happens a lot. Yikes.

Finally, Shandro said that they will expand AHS’s contact tracing practitioners. Chiropractors and respiratory therapists among others will now be able to assist the department during times of high volume. With proper training of course!

Whew. Not a bad COVID-19 Alberta health briefing if we do say so! This could save and change lives, guys. We can beat this!

Via Shutterstock