Image credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

COVID-19 MASKS

City of Kamloops hopes expectations and reality meet around masks in civic facilities

Oct 29, 2020 | 5:25 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Monday, Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that British Columbia was experiencing the much-talked-about second wave of COVID-19. Since late July, the number of cases of COVID-19 has been increasing steadily — reaching a peak of 317 cases in a single day on October 24. As a result, the City of Kamloops announced today that visitors to city building would now be expected to wear masks upon entry.

In a video posted to the City’s Youtube page, and shared on several social media platforms, Mayor Ken Christian has asked that members of the public visiting any City of Kamloops run facility now wear a mask.

“We looked at the epidemiology, in terms of the number of cases in Interior Health, as well as the increasing numbers in British Columbia,” Christian says. “We felt that in the interest of the safety of our employees and the public, this was the right time.”

The announcement was not an order. There is no requirement to wear masks in city facilities — just an expectation. Christian is hoping the potential consequences of not wearing a mask is deterrent enough for folks to put them on.

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“What we’re hoping is that we won’t have to deny people access to our facilities, and eventually we won’t have to close them down,” Christian explains. “We went through that last spring, and it wasn’t good. We want to keep them open, and we want to keep our patrons safe.”

That approach is much different than the one Tk’emlups the Secwepemc has taken to protect their staff and members. On October 1st, Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir put out her own video, explaining why masks would be mandatory in all TteS facilities.

Tk’emlups te Secwepemc implemented mandatory masks in all TteS facilities on October 1st. Image Credit: CFJC Today

That mandate applies to all visitors and employees.

“In all the common areas within TteS, it’s required that you wear a mask,” Casimir explains. “If you’re walking the halls, going into the coffee room, you’re wearing masks. Entering and exiting the building, you wear a mask. When you’re in your office, there’s the flexibility to take off your mask, and most of our staff are in individual offices.”

Casimir says staff and visitors to TteS facilities have been quick to adapt to the mask policy.

“People have adopted it pretty seamlessly here,” she says. “Everyone wants to know that they’re coming to work in a safe environment for them. They want to know they’re protected while they’re here because they have their own bubbles when they leave.”

The city’s expectation that folks will wear masks falls in line with Dr. Bonnie Henry’s expectation that British Columbians are doing their best to halt the spread of COVID-19. So far, Christian feels like citizens of Kamloops are doing their best to make that happen.

“My anecdotal observation is that in the month of October, mask use in Kamloops increased about two-fold,” Christian says. “It’s a common expectation now, and we’re hoping the public will fall into line.”