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I pulled some updated vaccination numbers by LGA; the urban/rural divide is a lot bigger than it was a week ago. Under 40s in Calgary are 20% more likely to have their first dose than 40-59 year olds in rural areas.
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Details and a bunch of maps are on my blog if you're interested in more detail.

One note that didn't make the cut is that the recent walk-in clinic and publicity push in NE Calgary seemed to do some good; Upper NE had by far the highest increase in the province over last 2 weeks is now as well-vaccinated as the rest of the city, and adjacent North and Lower NE also had big gains in the past two weeks; Lower NE and East are still below the provincial rate.

Those high vaccination rates even for the younger demographics in Calgary is promising for the Stampede, unless it brings in a lot of visitors from more rural areas (even just High River and Crossfield and Black Diamond). I've never known what percentage of the cowboys and cowgirls are fake and what percent are real.
 
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I was in Bottlescrew Bills over the weekend and I asked them how they were planning for Stampede week. For those that have been to this place, you know they have a very large indoor space plus one of the largest patios in the core. According to them, once the province announces we are in Stage 3, they will be able to operate at full capacity (fire code) both inside and outside. They will not have to keep partitions up and there will not be a mask mandate. In other words, they will be right back to where they were pre-pandemic. I know this pretty much echos what Kenney promised for Stage 3 ... no restrictions. However it just seems like a giant leap from where we are right now and .... in less than a month.
They are still studying the affects of the Delta variant. The U.K. has pumped the brakes a little on their reopening plans as a result.
I would hate to see all of this planning and expectations go into Stampede week only to see the province do the same.
 
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I think this week and next will be provide the indicators on what we can expect:
  • Does Delta continue community spread growth or is it hitting enough immune people to not spread as much
  • Can we do consistently more than 50,000 shots a day in arms province wide
 

This is a better picture of what to expect on the Stamped grounds ... and it is far from normal. Staff/volunteers will be mandated to wear masks and attendees will be encouraged to do so. Rapid testing will be available and they are considering proof of vaccine for some venues i.e Nashville North. I can see patience wearing thin with attendees with most of this. On hot days, people will not want to wear masks and proof of vaccine is going to create some conflicts, particularly where alcohol is concerned. With these precautions in place, I don't see how it bars and restaurants celebrating the event can be allowed to 'let it rip'. That would be a mixed message for sure.
 
I will admit that I think Kenney's doing the right thing with a lottery -- could have been announced better, should have been announced sooner. There are people who need a push to get a vaccine, and a million bucks might get some of them out; it seemed to work in Ohio.

I think the big miss this month in retrospect was if the Stampede worked with the province to go proof-of-vaccine only. (Actual proof; not the vaccinated and liars.) That would have been a win for the province, because it would strongly encourage vaccines when the two demographics with the lowest rate are young and rural; Stampede's core demographics. The more vaccines, the more safely we can open. And it could have been a win for the Stampede; there are lots of people who would be more likely to go -- especially parents of (the completely unvaccinated) kids under 12 -- if they thought it was safe. And operationally, it's clearer -- no jab, no entrance -- rather than telling someone with six beers in them they can't get into Nash North for their seventh.

That Stampede article's interesting if occasionally hilarious -- they're talking contact tracing protocols? For an event with 50,000 people? There are exactly two possible contact tracing protocols for an event of 50,000 people -- no protocol or no event.
 

A second major summer event has announced it's plans and safety protocols. Come July, if we really are in Stage 3, this is all going to be very confusing and frustrating for people to understand and comply with.

For example:
Calgary Stampede - no physical distancing although reduced headcount, voluntary mask wearing,
Calgary Folk Fest - one stage, reduced headcount (by 85%!!!) and physical distancing, mandatory mask wearing - outside sitting in the sun? I don't think so!; increased sanitation ... what for? .. sanitize the grass or your blanket?
Bars/Restaurants - no restrictions (according to Stage 3 'Open for Summer' proclamation) - which most everybody is interpreting as no physical distancing, no mask wearing required
🙄
 
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Calgary Folk Fest - one stage, reduced headcount (by 85%!!!) and physical distancing, mandatory mask wearing - outside sitting in the sun? I don't think so!; increased sanitation ... what for? .. sanitize the grass or your blanket?
Oh - I think something has been lost in communication here - no mandatory masks at your tarp!
 
That's basically just a politically correct way of saying that the smart people are getting the vaccine lol.
Or the 'smart' people are not believing the bullshit you can read on-line about the dangers of the vaccine or the many conspiracy theories around COVID. It is the 'less educated' people who are choosing to be informed that way, and consequently refusing to be vaccinated.
 
I'm really shocked at the high number of adults in Alberta without high school educations. Almost 50% of adults in High Level never graduated from high school?!? How is this not major emergency for the provincial government?

There's a staggering level of inequality in this province. There's a lot more going on here than just Facebook misinformation.
 

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