Alberta and British Columbia are extending COVID-19 restrictions as the provinces try to bend the infection rate curve and prevent a second wave outbreak. Alberta, which has one of the highest COVID-19 cases among all provinces, announced an extension of mandatory restrictions for another two weeks, until Jan. 21. Measures include a ban on all indoor and outdoor social gatherings, which had been in place since December 2020. Students in grades K-12 will return to school on Jan. 11 as planned. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said that this decision was based on careful consideration of the importance of in-person learning and recent evidences of a drop in new cases found in schools for all age groups. “I want to recognize the effort of school staff, teachers and parents to follow health measures and help us keep classrooms safe for Alberta students. I’m confident this effort will continue and we’ll see …