Editor:
The provincial government has recently decided that rather than taking a PCR test, people experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should instead be testing at home with kits "available for all Albertans." The obvious problem is these kits are extremely hard to get your hands on and this most recent wave appears to be tearing through our community with frightening speed.
Businesses are struggling with widespread staff illness and have already had to make service adjustments – keep in mind this is also on top of a historically challenging staffing problem.
We are now facing the fastest spreading variant of COVID-19 that infects the fully vaccinated with no reliable means of testing, no ongoing government data collection and reporting, and apparently no plan of action for dealing with it.
This appears to be the widest gap between the seriousness of the virus and the government response we have experienced since the start of the pandemic. Fortunately mortality and hospitalizations seem to be way down. Considering that, I don't think we need to necessarily ramp up restrictions, but greater access to rapid tests and a re-start of the services like isolation rooms or food delivery are essential.
I hope the Town of Banff will use its voice and its position as the primary tourist destination to speak up and demand more from the province.
Mark Walker,
Banff
