It’s official: BC’s ban on indoor dining and other restrictions has been extended for an additional five weeks.
The provincial government announced the extension on all restrictions currently in place during Monday’s latest COVID-19 update.
The order, which came into effect on March 30th, was put in place following a spike in new cases which has now been deemed the third wave.
It was set to expire tonight, April 19th, at midnight – but will now be extended until at least May 24th.
The province has reiterated that in the coming five weeks, through to the end of the May long weekend, it is critical that we focus our efforts to follow the guidelines, including:
- Continuing to focus on the basics to reduce transmission
- Especially focusing on in-person social interactions; be very purposeful about who you are seeing and where you are going, stick with the same few contacts
- Staying within your health region and as much as possible your local community, and strictly following the travel guidelines
Restaurants, bars and pubs, all food and liquor-serving premises will still be able to provide take-out or delivery service. Dine-in service will likely remain prohibited, except for outdoor patios.
People dining on patios should do so with their immediate household or core bubble.
To help the restaurant industry out on southern Vancouver Island, Victoria Buzz compiled a running list of restaurants offering patio service.
Here’s a list of restrictions and guidelines the has been extended:
- For restaurants, bars, and pubs, all food, and liquor-serving premises must only provide take-out or delivery service. Dine-in service is prohibited, except for outdoor patios. People dining on patios should do so with their immediate household or core bubble.
- Indoor, adult group fitness activities of any kind must cease. Gyms and fitness centres are restricted to individual or one-on-one activities only i.e. one-on-one personal training.
- The previously announced class variance for limited indoor worship services has been suspended. Outdoor worship services under the current variance may continue.
- Travel continues to be limited to essential travel, work or medical reasons only. For those who have traveled outside their health region, if you or anyone in your family develops any signs of illness, you must stay home from work, school or daycare, and arrange to get tested immediately.
- For outdoor gatherings, people should be seeing a max of the same 10 people—not different people at different times — outside and physically distanced.
- All students from grade 4 onwards will now be required to wear masks in schools across BC.
- All workers are strongly encouraged to work from home, where possible.
