By James Peters

COVID-19

More detailed data could paint a clearer picture of how COVID-19 is spreading in B.C. communities

Dec 9, 2020 | 5:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — A change appears to be on the way that will serve as a relief to B.C. residents demanding more transparency about the province’s COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Interior Health Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Albert de Villiers, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) will soon provide more detailed demographic data about COVID-19 cases, updated on a weekly basis.

“The latest I heard was, starting (Thursday) there will be some more information on the BCCDC website that’s going to be updated weekly with some more local area data,” de Villiers told a virtual media conference Wednesday (Dec. 9). “That should answer most of the questions.”

Since the pandemic began, B.C. residents have been desperate to know the extent to which COVID-19 has spread within their own individual communities. This is far and away the most common issue CFJC Today journalists are asked about with regard to the pandemic.

Beginning in the summer, BCCDC began providing case counts broken down by Local Health Area. However, the data is only updated once per month.

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Journalists have repeatedly questioned public health officials about the policy, including Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, who has steadfastly maintained providing more granular data on a daily or even weekly basis would compromise the privacy of those who have contracted the virus.

“It’s due to privacy and confidentiality,” agreed de Villiers. “In some smaller places, if we say there was one case in a small community like Beaverton, it might be very identifiable if we know that’s the guy who coughed down the street the other day.”

More detailed demographic data is easily accessible in several other provinces and updated more frequently.

The issue was the subject of debate in the B.C. Legislature’s question period on Tuesday. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau told the government more detailed data would help communities learn and respond as COVID-19 impacts different populations more significantly.

“In B.C., we know very little about what is actually going on,” said Furstenau. “We are one of the least transparent provinces in Canada when it comes to COVID-19. Most other provinces are far ahead of us in providing more detailed information about where cases are occurring and who is affected, yet this doesn’t seem to be a priority.”

Health Minister Adrian Dix disagreed with Furstenau’s assertion and again cited the need to safeguard privacy.

“There is a desire for more information about where COVID-19 is in communities,” said Dix. “But it’s also critical for us — including for all of the people most affected by COVID-19, including the very people that the member talks about — that privacy be maintained, that people be protected, that they trust their health care system, that they can come forward so we can contact-trace.”

LISTEN: An exchange between Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau and Health Minister Adrian Dix in question period, Dec. 8. (Audio Credit: B.C. Hansard)

Even so, de Villiers says a change will be coming soon.

“We are pushing, as well, from our side to get the information out there. It will available starting [Thursday] on the (BCCDC) website,” he said.