Image Credit: CFJC Today / Chad Klassen

By Jill Sperling

COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

Kamloops Chamber hoping for more predictability with any future COVID-19 restrictions

Jan 6, 2021 | 11:02 AM

KAMLOOPS — The current health order on province-wide COVID-19 restrictions is set to end at midnight on January 8. The Kamloops business community is hoping that means a relaxing of restrictions.

In November, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry implemented stricter rules around events and gatherings, travel, social gatherings and fitness activities.

Residents of British Columbia should soon find out whether these restrictions will be loosened or extended past Friday.

President of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, Tyson Andrykew, says he hopes a levelling off of new cases of COVID-19 in the province will allow for some reopening of certain sectors impacted by the order.

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“There’s certain sectors that are certainly being strongly impacted still,” Andrykew said. “You think of anyone that’s tied to travel and tourism. Business travel, which would be considered essential travel, is still somewhat faux pas right now seemingly, which is fair. I think about our fitness sector, a lot of gyms that are still closed, and restaurants and retailers that are still struggling. So, we’d like to see some relaxing as long as the case counts allow for it.”

Andrykew says he doesn’t anticipate much relaxing of the current restrictions.

The Chamber is asking for regional consideration for future restrictions. Andrykew says he also hopes to see more consultation with affected industries when it comes to new health orders.

“Business needs a little bit of predictability in order to be efficient, to keep our people employed and to keep supply chains strong and consistent,” he said. “Something that’s been sadly inconsistent is the roll out of a lot of restrictions that have come up since the pandemic began.”