Written by Aaron Cooney —
Alberta’s July 5th reopening has long since come and gone and we and we are well into stage three of reopening in Alberta. We are excited to mask-off and enjoy a summer of lifted restrictions.

While the end of the COVID-19 pandemic may be in site, it is still the responsibility of individuals to keep themselves and the people around them safe. I have seen many cases where it is appropriate to go beyond Alberta’s nonexistent restrictions. Some cafés are waiting to use mugs and continue to serve coffee in plastic and paper until they are more confident in the outlook of the coming months. Many restaurants and bars still operate under a limited occupancy with social distancing measures. And every business you go to still has pump hand sanitizer at the front. Right now, it is up to people and businesses to assess risk and make decisions on a case-by-case basis. This will continue to be the case until there are zero infected individuals in Alberta. Even then, people and businesses will continue to experience increased responsibility to their community.

Shown here is premier golf course and Alien Electrostatic partner, Lynx Ridge Golf Club. While always being more mindful of cleanliness and safety than most, they have introduced new cleaning procedures over the last 18 months.
I assert that in the coming years customers will be much less forgiving of dirty environments while visiting an establishment. After a year and half of increased cleaning, sanitization and disinfection protocols businesses have optimized cleaning procedures. If a business is gross, it will be one of the few, and the bar will be set much higher than before 2019. Contact Alien Electrostatic for tips and services to help you stay spotless like Lynx Ridge!

It is no secret that Alberta is a short drive away from the most individualistic population in the world. Canadians and Albertans tend to be more like our tea-dumping neighbors than most populations on Earth. It is important to note that individualism is not a negative trait and there are many interesting benefits to this social phenomenon. Another effect of this general mindfulness of self is less passion towards protecting neighbors with small actions. Put another way, North Americans were much less likely to wear masks with the intention of protecting others than individuals in other countries before 2019.
In many countries, masks are nothing new. In countries with a higher feeling of shared responsibility regarding health and wellness masks are common in crowded public areas. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the mass release of educational materials on health in the context of communities rather than individuals. After all, it is easier to be healthy while surrounded by healthy people. Public outlook on health in Alberta may shift due to the distribution of these materials.
Personally, I used to fall ill every 6-12 months and now I have not been sick in two years! I intend to use my increased knowledge on heath to keep myself and loved ones safe. Other Albertans may also be more likely to protect themselves while being mindful of their communities. Some examples include:
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- Calling in sick when you are unwell!
- Wearing masks in crowded areas such as malls, grocery stores, and public transit
- Disinfecting with hand sanitizer after encountering high traffic touch areas
