Questions about masking, access to rapid tests, follow minister's COVID diagnosis

Premier Jason Kenney received same-day results on his COVID-19 test because he is one of the people identified designated by cabinet to getexpedited testing.

Though he said he has no symptoms, Kenney went into isolation Wednesday afternoon after Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard tested positive for COVID-19.

Hours later, the government said Kenneyhad tested negative for the virus.

Government House leader Jason Nixon said in Thursday's question period that the premier was on a special list for quick testing.

"The head of government is certainly part of that list," Nixon said.

Kenney isn't the only MLA in isolation. UCP members Angela Pitt, Peter Guthrie and Nate Neudorf, and Transportation Minister Ric McIver are also quarantining at homeafter being in contact with Allard last week.

Nixon said they are waiting for tests just like every other Albertan.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the criteria for rapid testing was set by cabinet in the spring to cover people deemed hard to replace and crucial to the pandemic response who either had symptoms or were exposed to a known case.

"I don't believe there's a list of names out there," she said. "It's a list of criteria. And then it's a government official determination about whether or not an individual would meet that.

"And it's my understanding a very small number who have ever accessed that particular expedited testing."

Hinshaw confirmed she was on the list and has received a rapid test.

Mandatory masking?

The fall sitting of the Alberta legislature started on Tuesday. Allard has been in isolation since the weekend and has not been in the legislative assembly building this week.

Kenney said he attended an event with Allard on Thursday. The minister felt fine that day, he said, and didn't start feeling sick until a day later. Kenney said Allard wasn't in close contact with any legislature employees.

Still, the positivetest is raising questions about mask-wearing by cabinet ministers and staff inside the legislature building and the adjacent Federal Building, where the government has moved news conferences and cabinet meetings.

Hinshaw put voluntary measures in place in Edmonton on Oct. 9 to curb the escalation of COVID-19 cases in the city. They include wearing masks in workplaces unless a worker can isolate in a cubicle or office.

While the situation has improved this week, cabinet ministers and some political staffers have regularly been seen without masks walking with others in the halls of the Alberta legislature.

McIver, who participated in a news conference via video conferencing on Thursday, said he was still waiting to get a COVID-19 test. He said he and his staff have "made every effort" to wear masks when they couldn't physically distance.

McIver said the policy hasn't changed and there would be no need for new directives in light of Allard's positive test.

"The policy has always been to follow the directions of the chief medical officer of health, Dr. Hinshaw," he said.

"The fact that some of our ministers and staff have been required to self-isolate is a serious reminder that we need to redouble our efforts but the policy hasn't changed."

'I would defer to them'

Asked whether masking should be mandatory within the legislature building, Hinshaw said it was up to those who oversee operations in the building, which in the case of the legislature is Speaker Nathan Cooper and the Infrastructure ministry.

"I would defer to them to make that final decision," she said. "Ultimately, I do encourage people in workplaces to wear masks, again whenever they are not seated at a work station, distanced two meters from others."

The NDP caucus and staff have regularly worn cloth masks while inside the legislature building for months.

NDPLeader Rachel Notleysaid she and her caucus would now wear KN95 medical masks inside the chamber, even while asking questions, until the isolating MLAs have been cleared of COVID-19.

She said some NDPmembers were in a committee room with one of the MLAs currently in isolation.

"At that time it was a smaller meeting, and at that time that MLA was not wearing a mask," she said."We are very much waiting to hear the results of testing on the other four MLAs."

Notley said the NDPcaucus has decided that "if you're moving, you're masked" when on the legislature property.

"We would certainly like to see that kind of level with the government, but of coursewe'd like to have those conversations about enhancing protocols," she said.

The legislative assembly has followedphysical distancing protocols within the chamber since the outbreak began in the spring.

MLAs are considering motions to reducethe number of members required to reach quorum.