The documents, obtained through an access to information request, consist of dozens of pages of communications between officials at Alberta Health, the government ministry, and Alberta Health Services, the provincial health authority. They show that, in addition to ordering AHS to remove references to specific vaccines, the government instructed the health authority to limit information on vaccine benefits and efficacy.

and

Public health experts have said these paltry [vaccination] numbers are partly to blame for the fact that Alberta’s hospital wards and emergency department waiting rooms are now overflowing with patients. The Globe and Mail reported last week that some doctors have said the situation is worse than it was during the height of the pandemic.

I don’t know how these things usually work, but it seems like overreach for elected officials to tell public health officers how to do their jobs.

    • sbv@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      11 months ago

      It’s weird that they’re censoring the flu. I sort of understand COVID - they want to pretend that it’s over. But the flu?

      • PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca
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        11 months ago

        Since 2019, a core tenant of conservatism is the belief that vaccinations are conspiracies to poison the population in the pursuit of corporate growth.

        Popular conservative forums and online communities often purge their members and/or accuse them of being not true conservatives if there is disagreement over the vaccination stance of their ideology.

        • Caradoc879@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          My favorites were always the microchips in the vaccines nutjobs. Like it’s more believable that the government would track oil through a microchip than your phone?

  • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
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    11 months ago

    “The desire is to not indicate the types of vaccines available, just that they are.”

    This seems to be an intentional barrier to prevent people from getting the appropriate vaccines.

    Why do it? Because fewer people who get vaccinated means more people will get sick. More people getting sick means that hospitals won’t be able to cope.

    Who ya gonna blame? THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! 🤡

    • sbv@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      I always wonder how much planning these people do. Do they have an endgame in mind, or do they just want to pretend that public health doesn’t matter?

      For example, Danielle Smith didn’t even think through her promise to pardon violators, and that seemed like a pretty major plank of her last election platform.

    • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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      Why do it? Because fewer people who get vaccinated means more people will get sick. More people getting sick means that hospitals won’t be able to cope.

      Who ya gonna blame? THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! 🤡

      You’re missing the final part to the puzzle, it’s not blame the feds.

      Public health care doesn’t work so we’re going to privatize it.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    11 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    In one e-mail dated Sept. 28, Chris Bourdeau, communications director for the ministry, asks AHS officials to remove the government’s logo from campaign posters and replace “both influenza and covid with just ‘fall immunizations.’” Then, on Oct. 3, he wrote: “The desire is to not indicate the types of vaccines available, just that they are.”

    Since taking office in October, 2022, she has frequently reiterated her opposition to public health measures, such as vaccine passports, and has vowed to update the Alberta Bill of Rights to protect the unvaccinated.

    Public health experts have said these paltry numbers are partly to blame for the fact that Alberta’s hospital wards and emergency department waiting rooms are now overflowing with patients.

    Charlotte Taillon, press secretary to Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, said in a statement that AHS and the government collaborate on many initiatives to ensure “consistency of content,” and to limit confusion among Albertans.

    Shannon MacDonald, a professor at the University of Alberta’s school of public health, said ambiguity in immunization campaigns can be problematic, because it might leave people questioning whether getting vaccinated is the right choice.

    Jia Hu, a public health physician and professor at the University of Calgary, said governments need to convey a consistent, strong message in favour of vaccination.


    The original article contains 1,140 words, the summary contains 212 words. Saved 81%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!