By Steve Hubrecht
[email protected]
As the number of COVID-19 cases rise in B.C., and officials talk of a potential fourth wave, the provincial government has re-instated some restrictions and announced that people will need to show proof of vaccination to access various non-essential services, events and business.
Cases numbers had been increasing in several parts of the B.C. interior, particularly the central Okanagan, prompting Interior Health to issue a new public health order on Thursday, Aug. 19 which, effective Friday, Aug. 20 at midnight, made masks mandatory in all indoor public spaces for anybody age 12 and older.
High-intensity indoor group exercise was banned, low-intensity indoor group exercise was limited to no more than 10 people per class, and outdoor group exercise limited to 50 people per class.
Starting on Monday, Aug. 23, gathering in vacation rentals was limited to five guests (or to one additional household), indoor personal gatherings were limited to 10 guests (or one other household), and outdoor gathering were capped at 50 people. Organized gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and seated events were limited to 50 people if indoors, and 100 people if outdoors.
Also on Monday, Aug. 23, the provincial government announced that, across B.C., people age 12 or older would, starting on Monday, Sept. 13, be required to show proof of vaccination ( a ‘vaccine card’ or ‘vaccine passport’), either hard copy or electronic copy, to attend indoor ticketed sports events, concerts, and theatre events, for indoor and patio dining at restaurants, pubs, bars, night clubs, casinos, movie theatres, gyms, pools and recreation facilities.
A vaccine card will also be needed to attend indoor organized gatherings such as, weddings, parties, conferences, workshops, as well as indoor organized group recreational classes and activities, like pottery and art.
