Premier Kenney "hopeful" vaccine passport program will lift by end of March

Jan 28 2022, 4:44 pm

Premier Jason Kenney says he is hopeful and confident that the province’s version of a vaccine passport program will be gone by the end of March.

During Thursday’s COVID-19 news conference, Kenney said his government could lift the Restrictions Exemption Program and other public health measures before then, pointing to COVID-19 trends in the province.

“I did say when we brought in the proof of vaccination program back in early September that I did not foresee it going past the first quarter of 2022. That would be the end of March,” Kenney said.

“I am hopeful based on the trends we’re beginning to see here and we’ve seen elsewhere that we’ll be able to consider lifting that, and most other public health measures well before that. I’m pretty confident it will come in before the end of March.”

“Now is not the right time,” added Kenney, as hospitalizations rates remain at record highs. “I understand peoples impatience, I share it.”

Kenney added they will eliminate the exemptions program as soon as it possible.

Alberta reported 3,218 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, including 1,469 people in hospital with COVID-19.

Alberta’s COVID-19 death toll currently stands at 3,518.

Laine MitchellLaine Mitchell

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