B.C. mask mandate extended for indefinite period

Oct 29, 2021 | 3:51 PM

British Columbia’s mask mandate was to have expired on Halloween Sunday, but perhaps fittingly for that day, it’s been extended.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry issued a statement today, extending the order that masks be worn in all indoor public spaces in the province for an indefinite period, as an ongoing way to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“This important layer of protection will help make all of us safer, along with practising hand hygiene regularly, staying away if sick and, most importantly, getting fully vaccinated,” said Henry.

Masks are required in all public indoor settings for all people five and older, regardless of vaccination status. These settings include:

malls, shopping centres, coffee shops and retail and grocery stores;
liquor and drug stores;
airports, city halls, libraries, community and recreation centres;
restaurants, pubs and bars (unless seated);
on public transportation, in a taxi or ride-sharing vehicle;
areas of office buildings where services to the public are provided;
common areas of sport and fitness centres when not engaged in physical activity;
common areas of post-secondary institutions and non-profit organizations; and
inside schools for all K-12 staff, visitors and students.

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Masks can be removed temporarily in indoor public places:

to identify the individual wearing the mask;
to consume food or beverage at a location designated for this purpose;
while participating in a sport or fitness activity in a sport facility;
or while receiving a personal or health service that requires the mask to be removed.

Meantime, B.C. reported 584 new cases of COVID-19 today (down from 664 Thursday), with 85 in Interior Health (down from 108).

Active cases in IH were at 684 (up by 20 from Thursday) while provincially the number was 4,982 (up by 21).

Of the active cases, 436 people are in hospital with COVID (up by 2) and 156 are in intensive care (up by 1).

Since Thursday, nine more people died of COVID-related issues for an overall total of 2,156.

Three of the deaths were in Fraser Health, with two each in the Vancouver Coastal, Northern and Island Health regions (none in Interior Health).

There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks, for a total of 33 active outbreaks.

Here is the update on outbreaks in Interior Health:

· Cottonwoods Care Centre long-term care in Kelowna has 70 cases: 55 residents and 15 staff, with 17 deaths connected to the outbreak.

· Overlander Long-Term Care in Kamloops has 28 cases: 21 residents and seven staff, with five deaths connected to the outbreak.

· Village by the Station long-term care in Penticton has 41 cases: 27 residents and 14 staff, with three deaths connected to the outbreak.

· Haven Hill Care Centre long-term care in Penticton has 12 cases: 10 residents and two staff, with one death connected to the outbreak.

· Deni House long-term care in Williams Lake has 12 cases: 10 residents and two staff, with one death connected to the outbreak.

The latest update shows 89.8 per cent of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have had one vaccine and 85.0 per cent are fully vaccinated.

From Oct. 21-27, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 65.1 per cent of cases and from Oct. 14-27, they accounted for 73.8 per cent of hospitalizations.

by Pete McIntyre

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