Bars and nightclubs closed, limits on gatherings in Central Okanagan as B.C. outbreak continues

VANCOUVER —
Smartly being officials in B.C. are introducing original restrictions geared in opposition to slowing down the fast transmission of COVID-19 in the Central Okanagan region.

Beginning Friday, capability limits shall be placed on indoor and initiate air personal gatherings, bars and nightclubs shall be closed, high-intensity indoor health classes shall be suspended, and lots of other restrictions are in predicament.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the original guidelines at a news conference Friday afternoon, saying they had been valuable to dreary transmission and enable for increased immunization in the region.

The original guidelines only apply in the Central Okanagan native health station, the obtain an outbreak was declared last month, prompting officials to reintroduce a mask mandate for all indoor public spaces. That mandate remains in predicament and is enforceable, Henry said Friday.

“Many of the transmission occasions we’re seeing are through social gatherings,” Henry said. “We now want to win additional restrictions to dreary the transmission of COVID-19 in this region.”

The provincial health officer said lots of the original infections in the Central Okanagan, a region that includes the City of Kelowna and lots of surrounding communities, occupy been among of us which could be now not fully vaccinated.

She additionally published that about 80 per cent of the cases in the region are the extremely contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, and said that nearly all of these testing distinct are between the ages of 20 and 40.

“All of us know that (Delta) can spread so considerable extra easily, and that’s what’s driving the fast transmission among younger other folks,” Henry said.

She acknowledged that younger other folks had been the last to be equipped COVID-19 vaccines in B.C., and additionally that they are a neighborhood that tends to occupy extra social connections.

Henry strongly urged everyone who hasn’t been vaccinated but to make so, and eminent that the time between first and second doses has been diminished to merely four weeks in the Central Okanagan region.

The modifications announced Friday impact an expansion of aspects of life in the B.C. Interior.

PERSONAL GATHERINGS

Unorganized social gatherings, such as dinner parties, are being restricted to 50 other folks if they’re happening initiate air.

For indoor gatherings, the limit is merely five folk or one other household, in addition to the host household.

ORGANIZED GATHERINGS

For formal occasions, the guidelines are a diminutive diverse. Each indoor and initiate air seated gatherings shall be restricted to merely 50 other folks, and COVID-19 safety plans must be in predicament.

Henry acknowledged the presumably detrimental obtain this replace would occupy on occasions which occupy already been deliberate for the coming weekend. Whereas she advised other folks with plans to assist such occasions to reconsider, if doable, she additionally said she is aware of some occasions can’t be modified instantly.

As a consequence, the original limits on organized gatherings won’t win obtain until subsequent week, Henry said.

CHANGES FOR BUSINESSES

Bars and nightclubs occupy been ordered to shut. Restaurants are allowed to remain initiate for every indoor and initiate air dining, nonetheless could additionally now not assist parties greater than six other folks.

Unlike B.C.’s outdated, province-large dining restrictions, these six other folks are now not required to be from the identical household, Henry said.

Restaurants with liquor licences ought to quit serving alcohol at 10 p.m. below the original guidelines, and casinos in the Central Okanagan region shall be allowed to remain initiate, nonetheless ought to adhere to the identical guidelines as restaurants.

FITNESS CLASSES

Low-intensity indoor health classes can continue with their existing capability limits below the original guidelines, nonetheless high-intensity indoor health classes occupy been cancelled.

VACATION RENTALS

Corresponding to restrictions that had been build in predicament last summer, gatherings at vacation rentals are being restricted to 5 other folks plus the occupants, Henry said.

TRAVEL

B.C. officials are now not introducing original shuttle restrictions, nonetheless Henry advised against non-needed shuttle to the Central Okanagan region.

That recommendation is linked to what the Kelowna’s mayor said last week, after an outbreak was first declared in the station. Colin Basran told would-be company to conclude away until they’re vaccinated against COVID-19.

Of us which occupy travelled to Kelowna and surrounding areas in contemporary days could additionally unruffled monitor themselves for COVID-19 indicators and get tested as soon as doable if any construct, Henry said.