Browns Social House

Image Credit: Google Maps

The ongoing effects of COVID-19 have forced a Kamloops restaurant to temporarily shut its doors on Tuesday.

"Due to COVID-19 concerns, and in the best interest of our guest and staff health and safety, we have made the very difficult decision to temporarily close," reads a social media statement from Browns Social House management on Aug. 3.

While the pandemic continues to affect the daily lives of people in the Thompson Okanagan, the Central Okanagan is the only region recently required by public health orders to reinstate a mask requirement, while tourists have been discouraged from visiting the area.

Management of the restaurant on Summit Drive is working with Interior Health to determine when it is appropriate to reopen, according to the statement. 

There is no indication whether there was a COVID-19 exposure event or transmission at the restaurant from the statement nor from Interior Health's public exposure list.

Browns Social House management did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication.

As COVID-19 case counts remain proportionally higher in the Interior Health region, a provincial vaccine drive dubbed Walk-in Wednesday aims to give the jab to those who have not received one or both of their COVID-19 vaccinations yet.

"(Aug. 4) is an opportunity across the province for people to walk in and get those important vaccines that will protect you, as we've seen a surge of cases, particularly in the Interior," Provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said at an Aug. 3 press conference.

While the reopening program is underway in B.C., some public health measures still remain in place, like attendee restrictions on public gatherings. Restaurants and bars, however, do not have group limits in place currently.

Dr. Henry is also refraining from making vaccinations a requirement for the public to attend events or travel, but she mentioned her support for groups and businesses that do make those requirements on their own.

"We do recommend people take precautions,... but we're not, at this point, going to be requiring people (to be immunized). There are some businesses —some groups —making requirements that I think are perfectly valid for their own situations, where they have required that only people who are immunized are allowed to attend. We've talked about not having vaccine passports for things like having access to public services, but there are some things that are not essential services, where it is important that only immunized people get together. Especially if it's in a situation where we have more of the virus transmitted, and in settings like indoor crowded settings," Dr. Henry said.

From July 30 to Aug 3, the province recorded 742 new COVID-19 cases, with 395 of those recorded in the Interior Health region.

While mask requirements were reinstated in the Central Okanagan from Lake Country to Peachland, the rest of the province continues on the reopening path with fewer public health restrictions, but masks remain recommended at indoor public settings, as part of step three of B.C.'s Safe Restart Plan.

In Kamloops, the Tournament Capital Centre is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for walk-in vaccinations.

Go here to see the full list of walk-in immunization clinics across the province.

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