Speaker R.B. Ham talks to the Prince Albert Freedom Rally crowd on Saturday outside of the Queen's Bench Court House. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

COVID-19

P.A. ‘Freedom Rally’ sparks COVID alert from SHA

Apr 23, 2021 | 9:45 PM

UPDATE: An organizer of an anti-lockdown rally planned for Prince Albert this weekend is calling on people to stay away in light of a COVID warning announced by Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

SHA alerted the public Friday evening to an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 following the so-called Freedom Rally in Prince Albert that was held last Saturday.

The announcement came ahead of the possibility of another rally this coming weekend after both the mayor of Prince Albert and Prince Albert Police Service warned against further such demonstrations.

However, in a Facebook page Saturday, organizer Rachel Cochrane recommended people do not show up until next Sunday, “… when the 14 days is up [since the initial rally] so as to not fuel the fire with P.A. police and health officials.”

Cochrane added “… many do not believe [the SHA announcement about an increased COVID risk] is legit.”

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On Friday evening SHA said a person or persons attended last Saturday’s rally while infectious and called on those who were at the event to self-isolate immediately.

During the rally one of the speakers questioned if the pandemic was “real” while another said “it’s not our gatherings where people are sick, we’re not spreaders and none of us are sick. We’re all healthy.”

In their announcement, SHA said: “COVID-19 is everywhere in Saskatchewan. It is the responsibility of every person to strictly adhere to all public health orders and measures. Measures include: keeping two metres away from others when in public, wearing a mask, limiting gatherings and ensuring gathering sizes do not exceed public health orders.”

The current Public Health Order limits outdoor gatherings to ten. On Saturday an estimated 100 people showed up outside Court of Queen’s Bench, nearly all of whom were not wearing masks.

According to SHA individuals who participated in the rally must immediately self-isolate and call HealthLine 811, your physician or nurse practitioner for further directions. You may develop symptoms from two to 14 days following exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Earlier this week P.A. Mayor Greg Dionne suggested the rally would have done more harm than good and warned anyone participating in such events they could face charges. That was backed up by P.A. Police Chief Jon Bergen later in the week who added police would continue to observe any such gatherings.

Anti-mask and ‘freedom’ protesters have not been immune to the pandemic with various doubters succumbing to the virus.

Last week Norwegian media reported a conspiracy theorist – Hans Kristian Gaarder- who reportedly believed the pandemic was “fake,” had died from COVID-19 after a gathering on his property.

Last year a man from Ohio in the United States died after falling ill with COVID-19.

U.S. media reported Richard Rose, 37, had died after posting social media posts that he would not buy a mask and was not “buying into the hype” surrounding the pandemic.

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glenn.hicks@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow