B.C.’s top doc hopeful restrictions could be eased by Family Day

B.C.’s top doctor says she’s hopeful current restrictions could be eased by Family Day on Feb. 21.

She says it will mark a time to get back to a few activities, rather than opening everything at the same time.

“We need to stay home when we’re sick. We need to wear masks. We need to keep our groups small right now until we get through this wave too. And we can look ahead to a time when we have enough immunity and we have enough control that we can start to open up again,” said Henry.

She says Family Day could mark the next phase of the pandemic, with looser restrictions.

“As we move through this phase the extraordinary measures will change and we’re looking now towards the middle of February and family day when we can start to get back to doing some more things again,” she said.

“This is about recognizing that we have been on an incredibly arduous and long journey — and no I didn’t think we would be on this phase of the journey for this long — but it is the reality that we have to accept.”

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She’s also anticipating more rapid tests for teachers and staff to arrive in the province soon.

“Once we get a larger supply — and I’ve said this for several months — what I would like to do is supply them to parents so they can decide if their child has symptoms on any given day,” said Henry.

Dix added rapid tests have gone out to British Columbians in the hundreds of thousands already.

Between today and the middle of February, they’re expecting around 10.5 million rapid tests to come in. As they come out, they will be distributed to priority areas, including K-12 education.

An average of 6 people in BC have died each day of January from #covid19. 162 so far.
(for comparison same period last year 271 deaths)#bcpoli https://t.co/oHHbVf1gU6

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) January 27, 2022

About 40 per cent of the people who died of COVID-19 this month were related to outbreaks in long-term care, and most of the people dying outside of that group are seniors and unvaccinated folks, said Henry.

If people keep following provincial health protocols — including continuing to get vaccinated, wear masks, and so on — Henry says the province should be on track to meet the milestone of loosening restrictions come Feb. 16.

She also notes we’re not out of the woods yet, with hospitalizations still high.