Dr. Bonnie Henry May 13, 2020.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/BC Government
May 13, 2020 - 4:01 PM
If you are thinking of travelling Victoria Day weekend, even if it's to a second home or to carry out a family tradition, don't, says B.C.'s health minister.
"The way we can help one another right now is not to engage in non-essential travel," Health Minister Adrian Dix said.
If, however, a trip is essential and travel to other communities is needed, Dix asks that people cause as little disruption as possible.
"If you're going to Sechelt, or if you're going to go to the Shuswap, or if you're going to go to the Gulf Islands, bring your own food."
Get your necessities in your own community so you're able to maintain some semblance of a bubble at that new location.
"Be respectful of the communities that you're visiting and their concerns and their needs right now," Dix said. "That being said, this is a good weekend to stay at home to stay with the ones you love, and not to travel."
Regardless of travel, British Columbians are going to be expanding their social circles and Dr. Bonnie Henry said that is something she wants people to consider carefully.
"Outside is always better than inside," she said.
She recommended that people keep their groups small and consistent over the coming weeks because that creates less chance of bringing the virus into their households, or spreading it deeper into their communities.
“The path, really, is not black and white and that is the challenge that we are all going to face,” Dr. Henry said, adding the guidelines for physical distancing, hand washing and simply staying away from others while sick are key to a safe path forward.
Just keep in mind, fewer faces, bigger spaces and minimizing the time being in close contact. That will apply to engaging with businesses that are expected to open in the week ahead, too.
An additional 16 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total to 2,376 in British Columbia.
That includes 877 people in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,137 in the Fraser Health region, 125 people in the Vancouver Island Health region, 180 people in Interior Health and 57 people in the Northern Health region.
There are 385 active cases around the province. Of those, 59 people are hospitalized and 14 are in critical care ICU.
One additional COVID-19 death happened B.C. bringing the total to 132 people who have died from COVID-19.
Of all the cases, 1,859 people have recovered from COVID-19 in British Columbia, which is 72 per cent, of the people who have been affected by this pandemic.
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