Your questions answered about COVID-19 in Calgary

As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to affect so many aspects of our lives, here are some commonly asked questions and where to find answers.

Who decides if schools close?

For schools that are publicly funded, Calgary school boards are generally taking direction from Alberta Education.

Municipalities have no control over school closures.

Some private schools are making their own decisions on closures or moving to online learning.

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For the most up-to-date information, contact your school directly.

The province's chief medical officer has said previously the symptoms of COVID-19 seem to be not as severe with children, but they still can carry and spread the virus.

How do I protect myself and others?

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, Health Canada recommends. (Singing 'Happy Birthday' twice takes roughly 20 seconds.)

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is the next best option.

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and wash your hands right after.

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Avoid shaking hands as much as possible. If you do shake hands, wash your hands immediately afterwards.

Avoid touching your face.

Avoid large gatherings, especially of groups more than 250 people.

If your employer allows it, working from home may be a good option.

Will I get paid if I self isolate?

That depends on who your employer is, and even that can be fluid.

A labour group in the province is pushing for paid sick leave for all workers but the UCP government has not specifically addressed this.

Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday changes to the Employment Standards Code to allow for 14 days of paid leave for some workers for self isolation with details to come.

Changes also include waiving doctor's note requirements for time off or returning-to-work approvals.

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The federal government has announced applications for employment insurance will be accelerated, to help people who could not work because of the coronavirus.

If I have the symptoms, what do I do?

Call the province's Health Link at  811. Do not call 911 because they have been overloaded with calls that should have gone to 811.

Please stop calling 911 when you need 811, pleads CEMA chief on COVID-19 pandemic

5 years ago

Duration 1:12

The head of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency and Mayor Naheed Nenshi gave an update on what the city is doing about the spread of coronavirus.

Many people are reporting long waits to get through to 811.

"Health Link is regularly receiving more than 6,300 calls per day. Given this volume, wait times can be high, particularly during peak times," Health Minister Tyler Shandro said Friday.

Peak times, he said, are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Anyone showing flu-like symptoms is asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, you will mostly likely be able to recover at home; 80 per cent of people with the disease have only mild or moderate symptoms.

What should I do if I've recently returned from a trip?

If you have travelled outside of the country, health authorities are asking you to self-isolate for 14 days after you return home.

Watch for symptoms including fever, cough and respiratory difficulty.

For more travel-related advice, visit the Government of Canada information page.

• Have you got a news tip tied to the COVID-19 outbreak? You can reach CBC Calgary at [email protected] or CBC Edmonton here.