Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Mar, 2022 05:36 PM
VANCOUVER - British Columbia's provincial health officer says she's optimistic the province is moving to a "better place" that could see more COVID-19 restrictions lifted this month before spring break.
Dr. Bonnie Henry says a decline in hospitalizations, immunity from vaccination and the availability of at-home rapid tests point the way forward to normal activities like high school graduations that youth in particular need to feel connected to others.
Join Adrian Dix, Minister of Health and Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC’s provincial health officer for an update on COVID-19. #CovidBChttps://t.co/NqLNlkeM4D
However, she says not everyone will be ready or able to leave behind some pandemic measures like masks so it's important for people to be respectful of those who are immunocompromised or elderly because they're still at risk of infection.
She says businesses and workplaces will have to take responsibility for requiring some measures like vaccine passports, depending on the level of risk, and it's important to move slowly through a time of transition.
Henry says there are still some uncertainties about new variants, including BA. 2, with some cases present in B.C., though no cases of BA. 3 and Delta Omicron have been detected in the province.
Henry says she will soon shift to weekly updates as B.C. ensures it's prepared for a potential uptick in COVID-19 cases during respiratory season in the fall.
Employees in the core federal public sector who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be put on unpaid leave today, unless they were already granted an accommodation. The policy could potentially leave more than 1,000 workers without pay and unable to access employment insurance benefits.
Jenny Kwan, NDP MP for Vancouver East, says she opted in to an expert security assessment of her home and it made her feel safer knowing the measures are up to par not just for herself but also her family.
Rising rivers or landslides also prompted evacuation orders in Merritt, Agassiz, Abbotsford and in Princeton, where a dike burst Monday morning, forcing residents of about 200 properties from their homes. In Merritt, rising river waters overwhelmed the city's water system and residents were ordered to "immediately cease" all water use.
There are currently 4,265 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 204,963 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 384 individuals are currently in hospital and 124 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.
As part of the investigation, police received information confirming Ms. White’s vehicle left town for a 45-minute period on Nov. 1, shortly after Ms. White was supposed to have arrived at work. Her vehicle was observed travelling west on the Trans Canada Highway, leading officers to the area being searched.
Canada's chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma said in a conference call with reporters Friday that the regulator is "actively continuing" its review of the Pfizer-BioNtech jab for children aged five to 11, which was authorized for use in the United States earlier this month.
