As the COVID-19 curve in British Columbia starts to flatten, some people have begun to raise questions and hopes for easing restrictive physical distancing and isolation measures in the province.
Schools, businesses, and all non-essential services have been shut down for weeks, and everyone other than health care workers and essential service workers have been instructed to lock down at home and avoid contact with anyone outside their own households.
This week so far, B.C. has seen some of the lowest confirmed new cases since the pandemic started to gain momentum in the province, at just 25.
However, as Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister Adrian Dix continue to emphasize in their daily briefings, now is not the time to let our guards down.
See also: B.C. health minister says there’s “zero chance” of COVID-19 restrictions lifted by end of April
When asked about easing restrictions on Tuesday, Dr. Henry clarified that public health officials are currently in the stages of planning when and how to lift some of the draconic measures put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“A number of things are being looked at,” said Henry, adding that authorities are monitoring the state of the pandemic in B.C. as well as other places to provide a comprehensive model of the situation that they expect to make public next week.
In particular, the provincial health officer mentioned case studies of Singapore and Hong Kong where the pandemic curve had flattened towards the end of March but new COVID-19 cases began to spring up once again after some restrictions were lifted by governments.
Last week, Minister Dix clarified that there is “zero chance” that restrictions in place now will be lifted by the end of April, and that whether there will be a reprieve in the summer months remains uncertain and dependent on the actions of today.
These sentiments were reiterated on Tuesday, with the added possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall leading to a resurgence of restrictive measures.
Dr. Henry adds that some form of these steps could last until a vast majority of the population has acquired immunity to the virus – which would be determined through serological testing and could take a really long time – or until a vaccine has been created, which is the preferable outcome.
In the meantime, health officials continue their call to action, encouraging British Columbians to keep holding the line and self isolating to prevent any new outbreaks.
As Dr. Henry said today, “we’re in for a bit of a ride”.
See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 1,425,803.
Over 81,900 people have died from the illness and 301,828 have made a full recovery.
