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Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry today announced the removal of capacity limits and some other restrictions in B.C.
Screen grab from Province of B.C. YouTube
B.C. removes capacity limits, but keeps vaccine card
By Hannah Scott, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Published 2:32 PST, Tue February 15, 2022
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Events in B.C. can return to normal capacity, with masking and vaccination requirements still in place.
“We are shifting our response to a long-term COVID-19 management strategy that’s focused on those key things that keep us safe,” said provincial heath officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
The strategy includes immunization, self-management based on risk, and taking specific actions to protect those most at risk of severe infection.
“We are not out of this pandemic in British Columbia, in Canada, or globally,” said Henry. “We know there will be continuing pressure on this virus to mutate into a new variant, a variant that may evade some of the immune benefits that we have right now.”
The new rules kick in at 11:59 p.m. tomorrow night (Feb. 16). Indoor personal gatherings can return to normal, and all organized gatherings and seated events can return to full capacity with dancing allowed. Fitness centres and adult sports can return to full capacity with no restrictions on tournaments. Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs can operate at full capacity with no table limits, mingling, and dancing allowed.
The mask mandate and BC Vaccine Card program will remain in place, to be reviewed by March 15 and April 12. Other restrictions that will remain in place include those for long-term care visitation, COVID-19 safety plans, K-12 and child care guidelines, and rules for faith communities.
Henry said the province’s goals remain the same: to minimize deaths and serious illness, to protect the healthcare system, to minimize societal disruption, and to support social and economic renewal.
More at-home rapid tests will be available in the coming weeks, and Henry said the province hopes to make them available to those in higher-risk groups, “particularly by age or those who’ve been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable.” Children should also be able to receive tests through schools.
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