File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Jill Sperling

Spring Break

Small outdoor gatherings permitted in time for Spring Break, travel discouraged

Mar 11, 2021 | 4:38 PM

KAMLOOPS — Students in the Kamloops-Thompson School District are looking forward to a week-long break from school, but health officials are urging families to abide by current health guidelines.

Nevertheless, restrictions have been eased slightly. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has announced outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people are now permitted.

“This means your children can have a play date with their friends over the March break,” Henry said, “but with their same group of friends, and if they’re in school, the group of friends that they’re in a cohort with at school. You can meet friends outside and have a coffee, have a chat, have a connection, have a picnic in a park with your grandparents.”

Henry says there are no changes in restrictions around indoor gatherings or events and people should stay local as much as possible.

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“I do think, over March break, if you are a family and you’re going to your cabin and you’re self-contained that that’s okay,” Henry said. “But, we really need to stick to our household, stick to limited travel and we need to be very aware. We looked at the local health data that’s published on the BCCDC website. There are areas where we have a lot of transmission happening and we do not want people to travel from those areas to an area of low risk.”

Superintendent Terry Sullivan has been voicing his concerns about Spring Break since January.

“We had 69 days in session from September to Christmas and we had five cases, but in 29 days after Christmas we had 42 cases,” Sullivan said. “So, yeah, I do get concerned when schools are not in session, because I still believe schools are the safest place for children and youth to be.”

Sullivan says he fully expects students and their families will travel, as will many others in the province.

“I think people want to get out, they want to start to enjoy the weather, so people are going to be on the move. That’s just the reality of it,” he said. “But, I’m hoping that people will continue to follow the guidelines. Everybody knows what they are.”

Sullivan says he plans to send a note to parents Friday, reminding them to stay vigilant while enjoying their Spring Breaks.