CALGARY — Premier Jason Kenney announced a new ad campaign to promote the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and experts say it aims to appeal to what Albertans want most – a return to normalcy.

Earlier this week, the premier unveiled a new advertising campaign with the chief goal of making sure residents of Alberta understand the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Albertans will begin to see ads like this one pop up on billboards in their social media feeds, over the next few days,” he said. “The message is as simple as it is powerful – your vaccine is your ticket back to normal life.”

The initiative, called Back to Normal, is expected to depict a number of aspects of daily life in Alberta that residents will be able to achieve once they are vaccinated.

The first ad features a soccer game, where children are out playing together, in close quarters. Families are also seen sitting together, enjoying the weather without a need for physical distancing or mask wearing.

Officials say the aim is to convince as many Albertans as possible, from all walks of life, to acquire their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

“The campaign includes a variety of materials aimed at a wide range of audiences, helping both encourage them to get the vaccine and educating them on the clear health benefits of getting the shot,” said Tom McMillan, assistant director of communications with Alberta Health in an email to CTV News.

CHANGING THE MESSAGE

The province’s new ad campaign is a big change from the earlier messaging health officials were attempting to convey earlier in the pandemic, says AnneMarie Dorland, associate professor of marketing at Calgary’s Mount Royal University.

“It’s shifting the discussion away from protecting those most vulnerable to getting back to what we want,” she said in an interview with CTV News Thursday.

“It’s very much focused on the ‘best summer ever.'”

The entire scene is also framed inside a hypodermic needle, which Dorland calls a “powerful image.”

“It’s a very visually interesting ad,” she said. “This is very much an ad of integrating children into the campaign.”

However, while the ad is still in its early stages, she says it doesn’t provide answers for some of the most pressing questions Albertans have at the present moment.

“There’s still a lot of Albertans with kids who are wondering about access (to vaccines),” she said. “Lots of questions about the flow of vaccines to Alberta.”

Dorland says she’d also like to see more information in the campaign informing Albertans what shot to get and when other groups, such as children under 12 years old, will be able to get their vaccines.

“This is the first kick at it,” she said. “It’s tricky to execute a shift in communication.”

Kenney said as the ad campaign prompts more Albertans to seek vaccination, the province’s capacity to administer vaccines will be there to accommodate them.

“I’m asking everyone to book their dose as soon as possible, take the first appointment you can get. And to keep trucking with pharmacies or AHS through their website or by calling 811. Because more appointments will open up as the supply is confirmed and we are looking to receive about a million doses over the next three weeks.”

The province says more ads will be released in the coming days.

EDMONTON — A Sherwood Park man is scheduled to appear in court next month, charged with one count each of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

The charges against Gamdur Singh Brar, 43, are connected with an early morning incident in Sherwood Park last week.

On May 7, Mounties responded to a report of gunshot along Baseline Road at around 6:30 a.m.

Police say a suspect fired shots towards a vehicle before fleeing the scene.

One victim died at the scene, and is identified in court documents as Harmanjot Singh Bhattal. A second person, identified in court documents as Satvir Kaur Brar, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Her current condition is unknown.

Brar was arrested after being tracked down by police dogs near Broadway Boulevard.

He’s next scheduled to appear in court in Sherwood Park on June 2 to enter a plea and elect a trial by judge and jury or judge alone.  

EDMONTON — A man was taken to hospital for precautionary reasons Thursday morning after a three-vehicle crash at 137 Avenue and 93 Street, according to Edmonton police.

No other injuries have been reported from the scene.

Eastbound traffic on 137 Avenue was reportedly initially shut down, but police tell CTV News Edmonton there are no road closures at this point.

Police say they don’t believe speed or alcohol were factors in the collision.

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined by police.

EDMONTON — New mask exemption rules were revealed by the province’s top doctor on Thursday as the province reported 1,558 cases of COVID-19.

In a live update, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Alberta Dr. Deena Hinshaw and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS) Dr. Verna Yiu revealed the rise in COVID-19 cases and provided an update on contract tracing efforts during the third wave of the pandemic.

Hinshaw said starting Thursday, people qualifying for exemptions from mandatory mask wearing will need a letter from a medical official on their person to help prevent people from finding “loopholes” for not wearing masks.

After completing nearly 15,300 tests the provincial positivity rate is now 10.6 per cent.

There are now 722 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 177 in ICU.

On Wednesday, a new pandemic high for ICU admissions was set and hospitalizations rose to 737.Nearly two million vaccine doses were administered across Alberta as of last count.

Nine new deaths rom COVID-19 were reported Thursday, three people in their 70s, three in their 80s and 90s, one person in their 40s, and two people in their 50s to 60s.

Hinshaw said while the number of cases reported daily has not exceeded over 2,000 cases since the start of May, the peak of the third wave may not have occurred yet.

“Our positivity rates remain high and have been 10 per cent or greater for some time now,” Hinshaw said.

“It is a little early to say that we are definitely past the peak,” she added. “We are just watching closely and I think we are in a time of hopefully turning the corner… that this indeed is behind us.

“We simply don’t know with certainty what the summer will look like yet.”

Over 2 million people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the province.

“The response has been excellent,” Hinshaw said. “Your decision (to get vaccinated) will make a difference in our collective fight against COVID-19.”

NEW RULES FOR MANDATORY MASKS TO MAKE ENFORCEMENT EASIER: HINSHAW

During the update, Hinshaw said anyone who qualifies for an exemption from complying with manadory mask regulations will now need a letter from a health official certifying their exemption.

Exemptions can include if a person is unable to put on a mask independently or if there is an occupational risk for wearing a mask.

Hinshaw also said that medical exemptions from mask wearing are now clarified and are only a limited to certain disorders or health conditions.

“To help prevent spread and make sure that people are masking appropriately we are clarifying what these health issues are,” she added.

Some of these include sensory processing disorders, mental health disorders, allergies to mask ingredients, or recent oral or facial surgeries.

Hinshaw said there have discussions for “a while” about this measure and that frontline medical staff have been raising concerns about mask rule adherence.

She added that some people have been seeking loopholes in the mask regulations and that has provided challenges to law enforcement responses.

“With the feedback we have received about how we can make our public health orders more enforceable, this is one of the things that we have heard will help support our frontline enforcement teams.”

CONTACT TRACING UPDATE

Yiu provided an update on contact tracing and said that upon receiving confirmation of a positive test, AHS contact tracers’ follow-up and investigate all COVID-19 cases in the province.

 “This has been happening since January 9,” Yiu said.

“Our priority has been and continues to be contacting and completing initial case investigations with all new COVID-19 cases.”

She said initial case investigators have reached 80 per cent of positive COVID-19 patients by a phone call within12 to 24 hours during the past seven days.

On Tuesday, contact tracers closed 1,800 cases.

The second priority for investigators is reaching out to close contacts, Yiu said.

In April, contact tracers stopped calling close contacts to inform them of a positive case due to rising numbers of infections.

Yiu asked Albertans who have tested positive for COVID-19 to inform their employers.

According to Yiu, only if multiple infections occur at a worksite will AHS contact tracers investigate.

“We continue to prioritize high-risk work places for investigations like continuing care, prisons, manufacturing facilities, and food processing plants.

“Contact tracing in Alberta is a partnership,” Yiu said. “It is a shared responsibility between Albertans.

“We must all work in partnership to keep focus on early and timely notification of close contacts.”

Yiu said there are currently 2,550 contact tracers, with more being on-boarded and hired as needed.

She added that the current number of people available to investigate COVID-19 cases is 50 times the original number of contact tracers available at the start of the pandemic.

“We are constantly looking for recruitment and making sure that we have enough people on staff to be able to adapt and adjust,” Yiu said.

HINSHAW SAYS VACCINE HESITANCY CAMPAIGNS TO COME

In response to a question about high levels of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Alberta, Hinshaw said a public awareness campaign including advertisements are coming, further analysis is being conducted to ensure vaccine hesitancy is addressed.

For Hinshaw, the term vaccine hesitancy is broad and may include different degrees of motivation of being vaccinated.

“What we are doing right now is working with our teams to look at best current evidence on dealing with different aspects of what people might need to feel comfortable to receive vaccines,” she added.

That includes providing information about vaccine protection benefits or working on logistics to ensure accessibility barriers to receiving vaccines are addressed through outreach clinics.

“There is no one size fits all approach,” she said. “We need to make sure we are thinking about how people want to receive information and services and providing that across the province.”

EDMONTON — The Grand Market is returning to 124 Street on Thursday for its 10th season.

The market will proceed two times a week: Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 108 Avenue and 124 Street, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 102 Avenue and 124 Street.

New to the market this year is an expansion west from 124 Street to 125 Street on 108 Avenue. The extra space will provide more room for vendors and customers to shop safely.

“Our city’s smallest businesses rely on vending at the market as a significant source of income to provide for their families,” Krista Franke, founder of 124 Grand Market, said.

Similar to 2020, pandemic regulations will be enforced such as:

• Two metres physical distancing
• Regulating and limiting traffic
• Consistent cleaning and sanitation
• Mandatory face coverings

The market will welcome back some familiar vendors this year along with a few new faces.

You can expect everything from fresh fruit to meat pies, beer, and fresh cut flowers.

Edmontonians are encouraged to walk or bike on market days to reduce the impact on the neighbourhood.

The 2021 market will run outdoors from now until the Harvest Thanksgiving Market on Oct. 7.

For more information head to 124grandmarket.com.