Most people who are infected with COVID-19 in B.C. are not passing it on to anybody else, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday. “That’s how the pandemic will fizzle out over time,” she said.
With the province poised to enter the next step of its restart plan this week, B.C.’s top doctor pointed to an ongoing increase in the number of people vaccinated and a drop in daily cases, transmissions, serious illness, outbreaks and deaths.
“Things are looking really good in terms of going to step 3,” said Henry.
The so-called R or reproductive rate is below one, which means infected people are transmitting the virus to less than one other person. As well, vaccinations are showing a 70 per cent effectiveness rate. “This is really good news,” said Henry.
B.C. Premier John Horgan and Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon are expected to join Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix at an announcement set for 1:45 p.m. Tuesday on the third step in the restart plan.
If the province moves to the third of four steps, after July 1, indoor and outdoor personal gatherings will return to normal, sleepovers will be allowed, and masks will only be recommended in public indoor settings. People itching to get away will also be able to travel across Canada.
For those travelling here from across the country, including Alberta, which has seen a lower uptake of vaccinations, Henry has a message: “Our advice to them is don’t come unless you’re vaccinated.”
Because of the risk that travellers will bring the virus with them, British Columbians need to continue to be vaccinated and take precautions, “so even if the virus is introduced, it’s not going to spread,” said Henry.
Other changes that would come with step 3 include:
• Increased capacity at both indoor and outdoor organized gatherings
• Fairs and festivals can operate when following communicable disease prevention guidance
• Canada-wide recreational travelNo group limit for indoor and outdoor diningLiquor service restrictions lifted
• Casinos and nightclubs can operate with a limited capacity
• Seminars and bigger meetings allowedAll indoor fitness classes allowed, usual capacity
• Limited indoor spectators allowed
In its plan online, WorkSafeBC says that under Step 3, employers will no longer be required to maintain a COVID-19 safety plan, and will instead transition to communicable disease prevention plans.
“We are at the point where I believe it’s important that we take away orders as soon as we can and that we take what we call the least restrictive means, and so we’ll be moving to guidance, again,” Henry said.
On Monday, the province reported that 76.8 per cent of British Columbians age 12 and older have been vaccinated with one dose, 28 per cent with two doses.
The province reported 145 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, including just one in Island Health.
On Monday, there were 930 active cases in B.C., 107 of whom were in hospital, including 37 in intensive or critical care.
Henry reported five additional deaths on Monday — none in Island Health — for a total of 1,754 people. The youngest of the five deaths was a person in their 20s, along with one in their 60s, and three in their 70s.
In total, nine people in B.C. who had two doses of vaccine have died from COVID-19 and 65 people who had just one dose have died. The risk of a COVID-19-related death seven days after the second dose is about 0.2 per cent.
Henry said the risk goes down by about 80 per cent after one dose and even more after a second dose.
There was a new outbreak reported at Surrey Memorial Hospital on Monday, for a total of three outbreaks at long-term care or assisted living, and two in acute care.
