Tourism within B.C. could be possible 'very soon,' Dr. Bonnie Henry says
Provincial health officer cautions that spikes in infection could push back timing of next phase
It could be safe to travel again for fun in B.C. within the next few weeks, but that will depend on whether we continue to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infection, according to Dr. Bonnie Henry.
The provincial health officer said Thursday that she's reluctant to give a date for when the next phase of B.C.'s pandemic response might begin, but she's hopeful it could happen sometime later this month or in July.
"I'm hoping myself to be able to travel very soon and looking at booking in July," Henry told reporters with a laugh.
She noted that people living in many smaller communities are still nervous about welcoming visitors from other parts of B.C., but health authorities are now much better equipped to deal with outbreaks than they were at the beginning of the pandemic.
Henry said she'll be watching closely for spikes in the number of COVID-19 infections, as well as unexplained transmission in the community, but she doesn't expect to see the huge explosions of disease that other parts of the world have seen.
"We are doing OK right now and the data shows that, and it's because of the work that we've been doing collectively, but we are not globally out of the woods. We've seen dramatic increases in countries like Brazil and Russia," Henry said.
"When there is this virus anywhere, we're all at risk."
B.C. will 'follow the evidence'
As of Thursday, the number of active cases of COVID-19 in B.C. has fallen to 201. Of those patients, 26 are in hospital, including six in intensive care.
No new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, leaving B.C.'s total to date at 166.
Modelling presented Thursday suggests B.C. has performed better than most of Canada's more populous provinces when it comes to infection and death rates.
Health Minister Adrian Dix credited the province's success to a commitment to making decisions based on scientific evidence and advice from public health officials.
"What we are trying to do … at every turn is not to set targets that we're not going to meet," Dix said.
British Columbians will have to be patient when it comes to further reopening of the province.
"I know people are anxious for a day, a moment, a time when this and that will happen, but what we're going to do is continue to follow the evidence," Dix said.