Premier defends decision to increase outdoor gatherings

VICTORIA — Premier John Horgan is defending B.C.’s decision to allow outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people at the same time that Ontario has declared a third wave of COVID-19.

Horgan says B.C.’s vaccination program is in a good place as it has been accelerating stages when more supply becomes available.
He acknowledged the daily case load of about 500 to 550 is “disconcerting,” hospitalizations are creeping up and he’s worried about growing variants of concern.
But he says as more people become vaccinated, B.C. will see a reduction in case loads and hopefully a reduction in hospitalizations.

Horgan says B.C. is not in the same place as Ontario, which is still in the grips of winter while the West Coast is starting to enjoy warmer spring temperatures.
Experts say that outdoor gatherings can be managed safely but rising numbers of cases that are variants of concern mean that loosening indoor restrictions would be dangerous.

Sally Otto, a U.B.C. professor who has done COVID-19 modelling, says she doubts that indoor religious services will be allowed any time soon as the variant case numbers grow.