B.C. reviewing COVID response, asks for public input

B.C. is looking for public input on its COVID-19 pandemic response, but it will not assess the consequences of decisions made by the government or provincial health officer.

The province says it is launching an independent review, including public consultation on its operational response to the crisis to improve how it responds to future emergencies. It includes looking at how prepared it was, how effectively it communicated within departments and with the public, and what changes were made during the pandemic to improve.

BC wants to know what you thought of its COVID-19 pandemic response including how prepared it was/how well it communicated
BUT it won't look at consequences of policy decisions or economic recovery programs
You have until April 20 to do the surveyhttps://t.co/iWVygUPGvE

— Lasia Kretzel (@rhymeswpretzel) March 16, 2022

“The goal is to learn about how government agencies worked together to address the effects of COVID-19 that affected everyone, changed rapidly and continues to cause a high level of uncertainty,” the province wrote in a release.

However, it does not include an assessment of the policy decisions made by the province or Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to deal with the consequences of the pandemic. Decisions about economic recovery supports for businesses and families also won’t be included.

British Columbians will have until April 20 to give written feedback about how they or their business have been affected by government decisions and communications throughout the pandemic. The survey is available on the government’s website.

A final report is expected in the fall.

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Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, appointed the team. It includes long-time public servant and deputy minister Bob de Faye, former public servant Dan Perrin of the public policy consultancy firm Perrin, Thorau & Associates, and Chris Trumpy, a former deputy minister of Finance and Environment.

In October, the B.C. seniors advocate released a report evaluating COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care and assisted-living sites and the province’s response. It recommended expanding paid sick leave, recruiting additional staff, increasing testing, and single rooms for residents.

More than 700 people died in the first two waves of the pandemic in long-term and extended care facilities. Overall, between the beginning of March 2020 and Feb. 28, 2021, the fatality rate in such settings was 30 per cent.