EDMONTON, AB – Alberta’s top doctor is taking responsibility for giving people a false sense of security about the COVID-19 pandemic a few months ago.
She told doctors Monday night during a Primary Care Network chat that she “feels very responsible for the narrative that has made it more complicated to put additional health measures in place.”
Back in July, Hinshaw suggested the pandemic was over.
She says whether or not it was her intention, it “has had repercussions and she deeply regrets how that has played out.”
Hinshaw also acknowledged on Monday that Alberta is in a “significant crisis state right now”, but she also thinks it’s important to remember that the Delta variant caught many by surprise.
Alberta’s NDP Opposition Leader, Rachel Notley was asked Tuesday if she still had confidence in Hinshaw’s ability to be the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. She wasn’t direct in her response, only to say this:
“There was a defeatist attitude is some of the way she answered questions,” Notley told media in a news conference. “When she talked about when we could expect to hit the peak, when we could expect to see case numbers to stop growing, her answers were very very defeatist. There was no conversation on how we could act to change that trend.”
The UCP government has yet to respond to Hinshaw’s apology.