B.C. businesses can start re-opening Tuesday as long as they do so with caution and have policies in place to protect staff and customers, provincial medical health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said May 16.
“Businesses can start the process of re-opening,” Henry said.
She said guidances are available from both WorkSafeBC and the B.C. Centre for Disease control.
“The guidances need to be practical, sensible and safe,” she said.
And, she said, business policies and protocols are mandatory.
“There can be no flexibility on this,” she said.
She said she has posted updated orders on how various business sectors can go about returning to operations as the province moves into phase two of its restart program. But, it will be done with caution, Henry said.
“One person who may be in the early stages or have mild symptoms can transmit this virus,” Henry said. “We must continue to stay alert and stay vigilant.”
B.C. has seen another fatality in the Vancouver Health Authority region from the virus, Henry said. That brings the total number of deaths in the province to 141.
Henry said 1,932 people have recovered.
Canada has 75,004 COVID-19 cases as of May 16, the bulk in Quebec followed by Ontario, Canada’s main population concentrations. Some 5,595 people have died nationwide.
The bulk of B.C’s new infections are in the Fraser Health Authority region.
The breakdown of infections by health region is:
• 878 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 1,184 in Fraser Health;
• 126 in Island Health;
• 181 in Interior Health; and
• 59 in Northern Health.
Henry said the rate to infection in children is less than two percent of total cases.
- More to come.
@jhainswo
