Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK

B.C.’s top doctor said she would encourage any move that would see nightclubs, gyms, restaurants or other similar businesses to limit their clientele to those who are vaccinated, similar to what’s being done in other countries.

“Absolutely, and I've been talking to businesses about that,” Dr. Bonnie Henry said.

“We’ve had a couple of outbreaks in nightclubs where there were unvaccinated people and if I was running  a club, I would want to make sure that my staff are protected. And yes, we absolutely can say ‘to come in here you have to be immunized’ and that gives people a level of comfort that they're in a safer environment to come to fairs and festivals and those indoor environments.”

Those are indoor crowded environments where there's poor ventilation, and that's where clusters and the outbreaks in B.C. are being seen right now, particularly among people who are unvaccinated.

One local example is a cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to the Gotham nightclub in Kelowna on July 18, people who were there have been asked to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and to get tested if they begin to exhibit symptoms.

Additionally, a number of local businesses have taken it upon themselves to announce cases and close until their situation is sorted out.

That includes, to date, Sparkling Hills resort in Vernon and Kelowna’s Train Station pub, Mount Boucherie Winery, Central, Rustys and BNA Brewing.

"Well folks, in case anyone needed a reminder, we are still in a pandemic," BNA's Facebook page said, summing up the situation.

"Yes, the phases of re-opening are moving along, but there is still risk. Today, we’re letting you know that someone in our realm has tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided not to open our doors tonight, we will take our regular day-off tomorrow in the Eatery, and assess the situation in a few days."

Dr. Henry said right now B.C. does not have enough people with full protection, and that means the virus can still spread.

“The good news is that even after a single dose, your chances of ending up in hospital or having more severe illness go down dramatically,” she said. “So I think it is well within our rights (to say we don’t want unvaccinated people closeby.) I know myself, I've had people over to my house but only for people that are vaccinated, I'm not ready yet to have people over who aren’t.”

These, she said, are the reasons why we need to weigh our decisions both personally and in a business setting.

“Yes, it does affect your business because if you have an outbreak and it's transmitting between staff, the business will need to shut down for a period of time, those are the ways that we get people through this and we protect people.”

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