When people use terms like 'bending the curve' or 'flattening the curve,' they're not talking about finding a cure for COVID-19. They're talking about keeping cases as low as possible so our healthcare system can do its thing.

By keeping the numbers down - or bending the curve downward, we can prevent an overload of our healthcare system and avoid some pretty grim consequences.

If we let our guard down, COVID-19 cases will without a doubt continue to climb. This increase will put additional pressure on Alberta's healthcare system.

Despite the pandemic, heart attacks and highway rollovers stilll happen. Life-saving surgeries are still scheduled. Kids still break their arms. When the hospital beds are full of patients dealing with COVID-19, where do these Albertans go?

What happens if we don't flatten the curve? More people will get sick; our healthcare system will be overwhelmed; and sweeping provincial restrictions will turn the screws even tighter on our lives and livelihoods.

We can't let that happen.

Hesitancy, lack of trust, poor internet connections and long travel distances are the main hurdles preventing higher vaccination rates in parts of Alberta where the vaccine is needed most.

Provincially, 69.8 per cent of eligible Albertans have received two doses of vaccine, and 78 per cent have received the first jab — putting Alberta in last place among all provinces and territories.

Alberta is enacting stronger provincewide public health restrictions and a vaccine passport system as the fourth wave of COVID-19 threatens to collapse the province’s health-care system.

The Government of Alberta declared a State of Public Health Emergency on Wednesday, September 15. New rules and restrictions have been enacted to ensure hospitals can remain open; help prevent the disease from spreading in the community; and encourage people to get vaccinated..