There are no changes coming to current COVID-19 restrictions in B.C. at this time but health officials say the province is moving to a better place “rapidly.”
This comes as other provinces are considering lifting mask mandates or have already lifted the requirement.
B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday that B.C. will be removing those protections when it is safe to do so.
“We will have continued uncertainty as we move through the summer, we hopefully will be in a good place for the next few months because of the immunity that we have, and where we are, to be able to relieve some of the pressure of some of these measures that are in place,” she said.
“But we need to be prepared for immunity to wane again and for us to have new approaches and adapt depending on what we see come the fall.”
Henry said there are still many areas of the province that have significant transmission of COVID-19 in communities and while the number of people in hospitals is decreasing, 47 per cent of people in intensive care units are still not vaccinated.
Speaking about hospital admissions, spread and transmission, Henry said health officials are committed to monitoring those numbers closely and making changes as needed.
“We’ve talked about the importance of doing this prior to spring break and that is something we’ve committed to,” she said.
“We are in a transition period but we will take it slowly and sustainably as we move into the next little part.”
The number of people in hospitals and intensive care units with COVID-19 around B.C. continued to drop over the weekend.
Over the past three days, 50 people left hospital, bringing that total to 549.
In addition, there are now 85 people in intensive care with COVID-19, a drop of 11 since Friday.
However, 22 more deaths were recorded over the weekend, including someone in their 50s.
This means 2,873 people have now died from complications due to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
Travelling during the pandemic for Canadians has now changed.
Almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling is less restrictive for Canadians as health officials say the peak of Omicron has subsided across the country.
After officials vowed changes to border rules earlier in February, the new rules announced in Ottawa by federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos officially came into effect on Monday.
Vaccinated Canadians now have the option of taking rapid antigen tests instead of a PCR test as previously required – although this option is still available. Rapid tests are often cheaper and easier to access.
Airlines and travel agents say bookings are on the rise as Omicron has begun to recede.
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