EDMONTON -- Alberta's top doctor says she believes, with education and support, household contacts of people infected with more transmissible COVID-19 variants will abide by new quarantine rules.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw clarified today that household contacts are considered exposed every day they share a home with someone infected with a virus variant, even if they have separate bedrooms and washrooms.
So if everyone remains in the home and does not use a government-provided hotel room, a household contact has to quarantine for 14 days from when the infected person's 10-day isolation period ends.
Hinshaw says contact tracers are able to provide information in different languages about why the new rule is so important in stemming the spread of new variants and what supports are available.
She also says she's heard questions about a small number of people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine before they're eligible and that, while such allegations undermine public trust, it could have been due to confusion.
Alberta reported 259 new COVID-19 infections in its latest update and 11 deaths from the virus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2021.
