Check against delivery.

Thank you, Minister, and good afternoon everyone.

Over the last 24 hours, we have identified 1,727 new cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, and completed more than 19,000 tests.

In schools, there are currently active alerts or outbreaks in 426 schools, or about 18% of all schools in the province.

Currently these schools have a combined total of 1,701 active cases. This number includes 108 schools currently on the watch list.

As the Premier noted, there are 654 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 112 who have been admitted into the ICU.

This includes 357 COVID patients in Edmonton Hospitals alone, with 66 in the ICU.

As you know, in late October, Edmonton Zone postponed approximately 30% of non-urgent, scheduled surgeries in order to respond to rising hospitalizations and ICU admissions.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital is currently providing care for 102 COVID-19 patients.

With 13 units on outbreak or watch, the site has decided to place the entire facility on watch status.

This is a precautionary measure which brings enhanced measures to every unit not on an outbreak.

Our hospitals, including the Royal Alex, continue to be safe places to receive care, but I know that staff and physicians are working under incredible stress.

Today, the Edmonton Zone will also enact additional measures.

These will help ensure there is space to care for the critically ill patients who require care, both now and in the coming weeks.

These additional measures include postponing as much as 60% of non-urgent, scheduled surgeries that require a hospital stay.

Surgeries will continue for major and minor trauma, urgent cancer, cardiac and vascular cases.

Diagnostic Imaging or other clinical support services could be reduced by as much as 40%.

Ambulatory visits and procedures will also be reduced as needed to support the rising demands we are seeing.

AHS will be in touch with anyone whose surgery or appointment is affected by these changes.

These steps are yet another reminder of why today’s restrictions are needed,

And how COVID-19’s impact reaches far beyond those who test positive.

Sadly, there were also 9 deaths related to COVID-19 reported to us in the past 24 hours.

I want to express my condolences to anyone who is mourning a loved one right now, due to COVID-19 or any other Cause.

This has been a long year for all of us.

For more than nine months, I have provided regular numbers and statistics of now the virus is spreading.

It is easy to lose track of the big picture.

Today, I think it’s important to highlight the impact that COVID-19 has had on the province.

Since the first case was confirmed on March 5, more than 72,000 Albertans have been diagnosed with this virus.

This includes more than 20,000 who are actively infected at this moment.   

If you gathered everyone who has been diagnosed with COVID together, it would be the fifth-largest city in Alberta.

One in three people have now been tested at least once, and we are approaching 2.4 million tests done.

Two months ago, on Oct. 8, our positivity rate was 1.34% and we had just 184 new cases across the province.

Today, our positivity rate is 9.41% and our 7-day average of new cases is 1,785. 

There have been outbreaks in almost every type of group setting – parties, family dinners, sports cohorts, long term care facilities, schools, hospitals, workplaces, and supportive living facilities  just to name some examples.

We have seen the virus touch every region and age groups.

Our youngest reported case was less than one year old, and our oldest was 108.  

Many of those who’ve recovered have faced lingering side effects and serious outcomes.

Most tragic of all are the 640 lives that have now been lost to this virus.  

Every case is a person, and every hospital or ICU admission is a patient who needed care.

We are all at risk of COVID-19.

We are all impacted by the toll it is taking on our health system.

I know that the restrictions announced today will have a significant impact on the lives of many Albertans, all of whom have already faced a very challenging year.

I also know that we all want to move to a time when these restrictions are not necessary and our health system is not at risk.

The quickest path to getting there is by all of us embracing these restrictions for at least the next four weeks.

 I know it is hard, but I ask you to be diligent, be patient and to keep going.

I urge all Albertans to focus on how you can fully embrace the details and the spirit of these restrictions.

We need to go above and beyond to keep ourselves, our families and our communities safe.

It is going to take each and every one of us doing everything we can to bend the curve and reduce the strain on our healthcare system.

I want to thank Albertans for the sacrifices you have made over the last 10 months.

I know the vast majority have worked incredibly hard to protect each other.

Today, we are asking you to do even more, and while that may feel overwhelming, it is what needs to be done.

There is no other option.

But we are all in this together and we can get through this together.

Thank you and we’re happy to answer any questions.