After months of being told it’s not safe for them to visit British Columbia, people in Point Roberts, Washington are wondering why they will be allowed to cross the border without being fully immunized against COVID-19. That loophole contained in a travel advisory issued by the Canada Border Services Agency on August 5th has been flagged by longtime Point Roberts resident Brian Calder. “It says US citizens/permanent residents who are not fully vaccinated and who are habitual residents of Hyder (Alaska), Northwest Angle (Minnesota) or Point Roberts (Washington) will be eligible to enter Canada to carry out everyday functions. It doesn’t have to be essential travel. The whole thing needs to be clarified.” Calder, who is the chair of the local Chamber of Commerce, says he doesn’t understand why this is suddenly possible. Calder’s also seeking clarity on what people should expect when they try to cross in because he says he’s encountered border guards who outright refused him entry into Canada for medical appointments. BC Health Minister Adrian Dix is also expressing concerns about some visitors from the U-S being allowed to gain entry without being fully immunized against COVID-19.
Weekend showers brought some relief and stalled significant growth at a wildfire that’s forced thousands from their homes in B-C’s southern Interior. A fire information officer with the B-C Wildfire Service says the weather gave crews an opportunity to attack and build guards around parts of the 557-square kilometer White Rock Lake fire burning between Kamloops and Okanagan Lake. But Forrest Tower says the return of hot and dry weather is likely to create conditions for potentially aggressive fire behavior later this week. Environment Canada is calling for daytime highs of 35 Celsius or higher in Kamloops starting Thursday, with no precipitation expected.
Canada is once again allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents back into the country, provided they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. After 17 long months, a ban on non-essential travel across the Canada-U.S. border was finally eased at midnight, although the Americans have yet to lift their own limits on Canadian travelers. Eligible visitors must live in the U.S. and have allowed 14 days to pass since receiving a full course of a Health Canada-approved vaccine. They are also required to show proof of a negative molecular test for COVID-19 that’s no more than 72 hours old and to use the ArriveCAN app or online web portal to upload their vaccination details. Fully vaccinated travelers who have recovered from the disease and are otherwise eligible to enter Canada can show proof of a positive molecular test taken between 14 and 90 days prior to crossing the border. The federal government is currently planning to allow vaccinated visitors from outside the U.S. to return to Canada for non-essential reasons as of Sept. 7.
On a humid Sunday night in Tokyo, the 2020 Olympic Games came to a close. For 17 days this summer, the world watched a Games that was at once unifying, polarizing and quite surreal. Held even as the COVID-19 pandemic forced Japan into a nationwide state of emergency, with sparsely populated stands and rigorous health and safety protocols, athletes overcame upended training routines to deliver moments that won’t be forgotten. These Games were remarkable for Canadian athletes. Canada won 24 medals overall, the most for the nation at a non-boycotted Summer Olympics, and beat the 22 earned in Rio de Janeiro five years ago. And now, with one final spectacle, it’s over.
Japan’s prime minister is thanking people for helping the country safely hold the Olympics despite the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga thanked people for their understanding and co-operation. The 17-day Games were held mostly without spectators. Athletes stayed in an isolation bubble, quickly donned masks off
their field of play, and had to leave Japan soon after their competitions ended.
Two people have been arrested after a stabbing at a Lower Mainland strip club. Police in New Westminster say they responded around 2 a-m Sunday and found a man suffering from stab wounds at the Paramount Gentleman’s Club. They say two suspects were located nearby and arrested after a short foot chase, while the victim was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The wildfire risk over much of B-C is now rated as low to moderate thanks to rain. But forestry officials say it won’t be long before woodlands dry out again and the extreme danger resumes. Temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s are expected by later this week from Kamloops to Vernon.
British Columbia health officials announced on Monday that there have been 1,079 new test-positive COVID-19 cases since Friday, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the province to 152,918. In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said that there are 3,036 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. Of the active cases, 68 individuals are currently hospitalized, 20 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. There were 422 cases between Friday and Saturday, 364 between Saturday and Sunday, and 293 between Sunday and Monday.
New cases, as well as total active cases, broken down by health region are as follows:
- Fraser Health: 258 new cases, 586 total active cases
- Vancouver Coastal Health: 142 new cases, 387 total active cases
- Interior Health: 587 new cases, 1,755 total active cases
- Northern Health: 30 new cases, 108 total active cases
- Island Health: 62 new cases, 188 total active cases
- Outside of Canada: No new cases, 12 total active cases
There have been five new COVID-19-related deaths in Vancouver Coastal Health, for a total of 1,777 deaths in British Columbia. Of these deaths, four occurred in Interior Health and one occurred in Northern Health. To date, 82.0% of all eligible people 12 and over have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 148,066 people who tested positive have now recovered.
The R-C-M-P say a 28-year-old suspect is in custody after a rash of reports of shots fired in Surrey and Delta on the weekend. Police say three incidents were reported in Surrey on Saturday night that resulted in damage to vehicles and a residence but there were no injuries. Delta Police also responded to a report of shots fired that same night that is believed to be connected to the incidents in Surrey. R-C-M-P Corporal Vanessa Munn says police have not yet established a motive for the incidents, but they are not believed to be linked to the Lower Mainland Gang Conflict.
Health officials in British Columbia are reducing the wait time between the first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement was made on Monday afternoon by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix, who held a special press conference. Prior to this change, 49 days was the expected waiting period between your first dose and your second dose. As of today, that has been reduced to just 28 days. Dr. Henry said that they’ve made the change particularly to help protect people in the most vulnerable regions. COVID-19 is currently seeing a spike in parts of the BC Interior, particularly in the Central Okanagan, where new restrictions were implemented late last week. Invites will be going out to approximately 170,000 people in vulnerable areas of the province over the next few days to get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of schedule. “With more than 80% of eligible people in BC vaccinated with their first dose and more than 60% fully vaccinated, we have made tremendous progress in our vaccine rollout,” said Dix. “The next few weeks is a great opportunity for everyone not yet fully vaccinated to take advantage of the number of Vax for BC opportunities throughout BC.” Those invitations will begin to be sent out as early as this evening, but Dr. Henry warns that there could be delays. Dr. Henry also reminded that the majority of current COVID-19 cases are occurring in unvaccinated BC residents, particularly those in younger age groups who are attending social gatherings.