Image Credit: Flickr / Government of BC

By Dave Barry

COVID-19

B.C. announces plans to reopen the province

May 6, 2020 | 3:09 PM

VICTORIA — The provincial government has unveiled its plan for British Columbians to return to an environment similar to the days before the COVID-19 pandemic. But the plan will rely on the province maintaining its low rate of transmission.

“It won’t be the flipping of a switch,” said B.C. Premier John Horgan. “We’re going to be proceeding carefully, bit by bit, one step at a time.”

By mid-May families will be able to hug one another again. B.C. Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says residents can expand their social contacts with extended family or friends. Small gatherings of up to a half dozen people will be acceptable as long as the gatherings don’t include those who exhibit symptoms of a cold or a flu. Instead, they should stay home and away from others.

British Columbians can look forward to a return of health services including elective surgeries, dentistry and massage therapy. Hair salons, restaurants, museums, recreational sports, transit service, child care services, and parks and beaches will also be allowed to open by mid-May. However all of the organizations that reopen, will be required to follow health guidelines.

Those guidelines include setting a clear expectation that individuals who are feeling ill should stay home and away from others.

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In addition, all organizations will be required to develop their own plans to safely reopen. Those plans must be shared with employees and made public to their customers. The government won’t need to approve the plans, but will inspect organizations if complaints are received.

If B.C. residents continue to maintain or decrease the province’s low transmission rate, more businesses and organizations will be allowed to open as early as June. Those will include hotels and resorts, provincial campsites, along with film and television production. In July, movie theatres and symphony concerts may return, however no large concerts will be allowed. It’s expected post-secondary and K-to-12 schools can reopen in September.

But once again, all of the businesses and organizations will be required to develop their own plans and make them public.

It’s not clear when nightclubs, bars and casinos will be allowed to reopen. When they do reopen, they will be expected to develop plans incorporating public health and safety guidelines.

There is no timeline as to when B.C. will allow gatherings of more than 50 people such as conventions, professional sports, concerts and international national tourism. “Restrictions on large gatherings are here to stay,” said Horgan. “Groups larger than 50 give the virus an opportunity to reemerge.” Large gatherings will only return with the development of a COVID-19 vaccine or broad community immunity.

Henry is asking for British Columbians to focus on maintaining good hygiene skills learned through the pandemic as society attempts to return to normal, including good hand-washing, safe social interactions, and most importantly, resisting the urge to attend work and public events when ill.

Read the full plan here: