British Columbia announced Monday it is limiting private household gatherings to members of an immediate household, plus their “safe six,” the same day the province announced it recorded 817 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend.
The weekend increase is the highest daily rise over a three-day period in the province.
The new provincial health order on household gatherings, issued by Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, goes into effect immediately.
Henry said it has become clear gatherings of fewer than 50 people are not always safe.
“We need to pay more attention to those settings where we have people coming together for celebrations,” Henry said.
“This is going to be a challenge, more for some people than others. But this is something we need to do as a community.”
Henry said if someone comes from a large family, six additional guests may be too many. Henry said enforcement will be stepped up for those who may disregard the latest order.
She also said the orders are enforceable by bylaw officers, police officers, environmental officers, etc. People can issue complaints about a large party, in the same way they would file a noise complaint.
Henry said the new order will likely be in place into the new year.
“That is a possibility that we will not have large family gatherings over Christmas,” Henry said.
Henry also said on Monday that it is now an expectation (not a health order) that people wear non-medical masks in public spaces to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“I’m also stepping up our recommendations and advice around wearing masks,” Henry said during Monday’s press conference.
And she is asking businesses to review their COVID safety plans with this new mask expectation in mind.
Henry says the expectation for masks in indoor spaces doesn’t change the way the school plans are designed.
“My expectation around masks is that we will all be wearing masks in public spaces,” Henry said, listing examples like grocery stores, renewing drivers license, hardware store and transit. She said those are situations where people can’t keep a safe distance so that is an additional layer of protection.
Henry said the risk is still minimal outdoors, so if people are going out for a walk or a run and there’s space for people to spread out, no mask is needed.