Province adds ‘circuit breaker’ restrictions to combat COVID-19 in north

Oct 14, 2021 | 4:53 PM

B.C.’s health minister calls it “an enormous challenge” for northern B.C., and all of the province.

Adrian Dix was commenting on the growing number of people needing critical care in the north, many due to having COVID-19 and not being vaccinated where rates are among the lowest in the province.

Dix said 58 people have been transferred by plane out of the north to hospitals in Island Health or in Metro Vancouver.

“All of them are very ill. Some of them without COVID-19, but without room for them at their hospital in their region, but the majority with COVID-19 in critical condition. It’s a significant situation,” Dix told a news conference.

Dix said 45 of the 58 patients have COVID-19, and all but one of them is not fully vaccinated against the virus. He says the province supports health care for everyone but that doesn’t mean the transfers are acceptable.

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“Other patients who need care are being crowded out of their hospital that supports them in a public health care system because of COVID-19.”

Dix says the ongoing capacity issues demonstrate why a “circuit breaker” is needed.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said they are seeing the Delta variant cause more severe illness among younger people across B.C., particular in the north involving unvaccinated people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s who are ending-up in critical care.

“And today, tragically, we had a young person in their 20s die from COVID in the north.”

Henry said the lack of space in critical care facilities is impacting people who need cancer care and heart attacks, for example.

Additional regional orders to step-up restrictions were issued by Henry for the north.

“We are doing this to stop transmission where it is greatest and that is the indoor gatherings where we’re coming together and not necessarily wearing masks and mixing with unvaccinated people,” said Henry.

Effective at midnight tonight and continuing until Nov. 19, personal gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, will be restricted to fully vaccinated people only.

Indoor gatherings will be limited to five people and outdoor gatherings to 25, if they are all fully vaccinated.

Outdoor organized events like weddings will require a safety plan and everyone to wear masks and organizers will have to ensure everyone is fully vaccinated by using the BC vaccine card.

Indoor events will be limited to 50 people (vaccinated) and outdoor to 100. Faith and worship services will be restricted to virtual only.

Alcohol serving at restaurants, bars and nightclubs will end at 10 p.m., and drinking establishments without food will be closed.

The communities of Kitimat, Terrace, Haida Gwaii, Stikine, Nisg̱a’a, Telegraph and Prince Rupert are exempt from the new orders due to high levels of immunization.

by Pete McIntyre

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