Alberta to lift public health restrictions July 1 and return to normal

EDMONTON — Alberta will lift its remaining COVID-19 health restrictions on July 1, becoming the first province or territory in Canada to do so.

Premier Jason Kenney says 70.2 per cent of Albertans aged 12 and over have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

He says that means it's safe to return to normal after the vaccines take full effect in two weeks.

Alberta has administered about 3.6 million vaccine doses and almost one-quarter of those eligible have had the required two shots.

Some doctors have said the province needs to get more second doses administered to be fully protected against the Delta variant.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says people who received their first dose in May are now eligible to book their second doses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 18, 2021.

The Canadian Press