Premier John Horgan is hailing the province’s progress leading up to COVID-19 restrictions being lifted tomorrow, and he’s crediting the leadership of provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry since the start of the pandemic. Horgan says B-C has had quote _ “extraordinary results” _ in getting to high vaccination rates and keeping the number of cases and deaths low compared with other jurisdictions including Quebec and Ontario. Henry said at the last government briefing that up to five-thousand people will be allowed to gather at outdoor venues as of Canada Day, and nightclubs will be open with some barriers in place. That means you will once again be able to dine in large groups at restaurants, bars, and pubs. Table sizes will be determined by the venue and liquor service will return to normal. However, people will still not be able to move between tables. and masks will no longer be mandatory in indoor, public spaces All restrictions are expected to be removed in September, and Henry says any transmission of COVID-19 will be closely monitored and reported to the public as part of routine surveillance of communicable diseases including the flu.
Campfires will be prohibited throughout B.C. as of Wednesday at noon, the province said MondayMore than 100 people have died in B.C. in the four days since the heatwave struck, with their sudden deaths being linked to the extreme temperatures. Both police and the province’s chief coroner say they expect the number to climb. Lisa LaPointe says the BC Coroners Service has been called to 233 deaths since Friday, noting the average number for a four-day period is 130. LaPointe says older people, babies, young children, and people with medical conditions are particularly vulnerable. Police across Metro Vancouver are urging everyone to check on their neighbours and loved ones, confirming they continue to be called to dozens of sudden deaths. At 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Vancouver police said officers responded to more than 65 sudden deaths since the heatwave began on Friday, “with more casualties being reported by the hour.” Surrey RCMP responded to 22 sudden deaths Monday and at least 13 deaths on Tuesday. While the causes of deaths can’t yet be confirmed, Surrey Mounties say they are responding to more than a usual number of deaths since the beginning of the extreme weather conditions. Monday was the hottest in this heatwave, with temperatures in many areas of the Lower Mainland feeling like they were in the 40s.
Environment Canada has lifted heat warnings for parts of northern BC but conditions remain dangerously hot in southern and central parts of the province. The weather agency says the system that has trapped heat over Western Canada is slowly moving east but temperatures are expected to remain into the low 40s for Interior regions until Friday. Lytton , which set a Canadian heat record for the third straight day yesterday as temperatures reached 49.6 C, is forecast to see a high of 41 C today. But the weather office says the shift to cooler temperatures could bring intense thunderstorms from the southern Interior to northeast corner — increasing the risk of lightning sparking wildfires.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says there is a role for the justice system to play following the discovery of hundreds more unmarked graves near a residential school in B-C. But Trudeau says achieving reconciliation in Canada is about much more than just what governments and the Justice Department do. Chief Jason Louie of the Lower Kootenay Band near Cranbrook, B-C says ground-penetrating radar revealed 182 unmarked graves at the St. Eugene’s Mission residential school. It’s the third time in recent weeks hundreds of such graves were found at the sites of former residential schools.
Immunization clinics in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region will begin offering drop-in appointments for first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The health authority says that it will begin offering drop-ins on June 30. They will be open to those above the age of 12 who haven’t received their first dose of the vaccine. “All are welcome at our clinics, including those without personal health numbers and people who are not residents of BC,” VCH says in an emailed statement. “Clinic staff are available to help people register and book appointments at other clinics throughout the region if needed, and can help answer any vaccine-related questions.” Although it’s not required, residents are encouraged to register through BC’s online Get Vaccinated system. This will ensure that they receive a notification once they’re eligible to book a second dose vaccination appointment Anyone receiving a vaccination is advised to dress appropriately for the warm weather expected in the coming days. VCH is recommending loose, light-weight clothing, hats, and bringing water to stay hydrated. The health authority says it will have umbrellas to provide shade for people waiting outside, as well as bottled water and cooling packs for those who might overheat. Anyone who does have an appointment is asked to show up at their scheduled appointment time to reduce the amount of time spent waiting outdoors. “Those attending clinics are advised to take the first vaccine offered to them,” VCH adds. “All approved vaccines offer good protection against COVID-19.” To date, 78.4% of all adults 18 and over in BC and 77.1% of those 12 and older have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In total, 5,002,916 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in BC, 1,421,506 of which are second doses.
BC health officials announced 44 new test-positive COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the province to 147,621. In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said that broken down by health region, 12 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 17 are in the Fraser Health region, one is in the Island Health region, and 14 are in the Interior Health region. There are no new cases are in the Northern Health region. There are currently 816 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. Of the active cases, 108 individuals are currently hospitalized, 34 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. There have been no new COVID-19-related deaths, for a total of 1,754 deaths in British Columbia. To date, 78.4% of all adults 18 and over in BC and 77.1% of those 12 and older have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In total, 5,002,916 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in BC, 1,421,506 of which are second doses. 145,032 people who tested positive have now recovered.