Bubble-zones coming to B.C. schools, health-care buildings in near future

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The province promises it is still working to create protest-free bubble zone legislation for schools and health-care facilities, but it could still be weeks or a month away.

Health clinics and schools have continued to be the targets for protests spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 virus and the vaccines.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth told NEWS 1130 Thursday, the so-called bubble zone legislation will be passed at the end of this session — which ends Nov. 25.

Bubble zones would prevent protesting within a certain distance of particular buildings or services. Calls for the province to implement these zones around hospitals and schools grew over the summer, after protests against vaccine passports and other pandemic mandates blocked staff and sick patients and barged into schools while children were inside.

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By November, Dr. Bonnie Henry said she would like to offer kids aged five to 11 COVID-19 vaccines. Farnworth warns this could be a lightning rod for anti-vaxxers.

“We are mindful of those issues and legislative council and governments are working on this to make sure that we are able to introduce it and pass it this session,” Farnworth said.

In the meantime, Farnworth advises schools and health-care centres to call police if there are protests — adding they don’t need to hesitate.

“Police pay very close attention when they become aware of these kinds of situations, particularly as they relate to schools and to vaccine clinics,” he said. “And so people may well find themselves facing charges on existing statutes, on existing laws such as trespass or if they’re engaged in aggressive behaviour, they could face criminal charges. So the police are well aware and they will do their job in this regard.”

Just this week, anti-vaxxers protested outside a Kelowna middle school and someone glued the locks shut on Victoria area vaccination clinics.