Kenny said at a press conference on Friday: “This terrible period is only two weeks away,” and the province has also started another round of appointments for the second dose.

Kenny thanked Albertans for being vaccinated and endured 16 months of arduous restrictions. He said that these restrictions have put many Alberta businesses in a “final dilemma.”

“I never doubt that we will reach this milestone together. We will unite as a province, as a nation, and complete our work in the true Alberta spirit,” he said.

Watch | Kenny discusses Alberta reaching the milestone of reopening:

The province’s three-step reopening plan required the final stage of the vaccine threshold to be reached on Thursday, when more than 70% of eligible Albertans had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Kenny said: “We finally have the upper hand over this virus and can safely open up our province.”

Smaller case, fewer restrictions

Alberta currently has 2,336 active COVID-19 cases, which is 135 fewer than the previous day. The province reported 124 new COVID-19 cases and 3 new deaths on Friday.

Kenny said that since the first phase started in June, the number of active cases has fallen by 61%. He said that the number of hospitalizations dropped by 45% during the same period.

For several days, Alberta has been faltering on the edge of the vaccination threshold required for the final stages of its three-step reopening plan.

As of Thursday, 70.2% of eligible Albertans had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Phase 3 will be the lightest restriction in the province in months.

The ban on indoor social gatherings and the current restrictions on outdoor gatherings will be lifted. Capacity restrictions on businesses and places of worship will disappear. The law compulsory wearing masks will also be repealed.

The isolation requirements for confirmed cases of COVID-19 and some protective measures in the continuous care environment will remain unchanged.

“We will see an increase in cases”

Dr. Noel Gibney, professor emeritus of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Alberta, said that reopening now is risky.

Gibney, who is also the co-chair of the Pandemic Response Committee of the Edmonton Regional Medical Staff Association, said the province needs to carefully monitor cases and plan for the possibility of repression.

He said that Alberta’s reopening plan was drafted before the arrival of the Delta variant and did not take into account the potential impact of highly infectious strains.

He said that the rapid spread of the variant in the UK should be a warning.

Gibney expects that the delta variant will become the main strain in Alberta by the end of July, leading to a surge in cases in September.

“Whether it is the fourth wave or the fourth wave, I think time will tell everything,” he said on Friday.

“We will see an increase in cases, but this is actually a problem.”

On Friday, Kenny admitted that there are continuing risks. He said the province will continue to monitor the infection rate and observe the outbreak.

He advises people to “use common sense and exercise personal responsibility” while enjoying the new freedom that is coming in two weeks.

“Variations will appear, and over time, the most contagious mutations will become the dominant mutations,” he said.

“People will be infected. Some people will get sick. Unfortunately, some people may die, just like flu forever, but we will not close society to deal with this limited and controllable risk. We manage the risk. Vaccines are given. It’s our superpower to manage it. Let us accept this.”

More second dose

As announced on Friday, another 983,000 Albertans are now eligible for a second shot of COVID-19 vaccine.

Albertans who received the first dose in May can now order the second dose. Those who received the first dose in June can order the second dose as soon as 4 weeks later.

Albertans who were vaccinated with AstraZeneca for the first time are encouraged to wait at least eight weeks for the second injection to ensure full protection of the vaccine.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro said on Friday: “We are transforming from a pandemic that changes our lifestyle to a virus that we control through vaccination, and learn to live like other infectious diseases and other health problems. .”

More than 25% of eligible Albertans have been fully vaccinated with two doses.

“Anxiety and doubt” from business owners

Rob Browatzke, co-owner of Evolution Wonderlounge, is eager to reopen his Edmonton nightclub.

He said the club opened briefly last fall but has been unable to operate since the outbreak of the pandemic, resulting in what he calls a “huge” debt burden.

“The last time our dance floor opened was on March 15, 2020,” he said. “This is basically zero income for 16 months.”

Browatzke said the bar will continue to take health precautions, and he hopes Alberta can safely reopen forever.

He said: “It’s a kind of anxiety and doubt, and a feeling of’I will believe it when I see it.'”

“We believe this is not just a temporary matter.”