Publication date: Nov 14, 2022 • 6 hours ago • 4 min read • 36 Comments Masked commuters wait for their bus in downtown Vancouver on Monday. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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British Columbians should cover themselves if they have symptoms of respiratory illness and cannot avoid close contact with others indoors, says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

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“We are not looking at reintroducing mask mandates at this time,” Henry said. But he said that could change if necessary as the pandemic progresses. Start your day with a roundup of BC-focused news and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7am, Monday to Friday. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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“We are seeing an increase in respiratory illnesses across the province,” Henry said Monday in an email. He said that’s to be expected because viruses increase in the fall and winter and more people are returning to indoor activities without COVID restrictions. Henry said those who are sick should stay home until the fever is gone (without medication) and they are well enough to participate in normal activities. And he suggested avoiding non-essential close contact with those 70 and older, LTC residents and immunocompromised people, and staying away from LTCs and hospitals until you feel better.

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“If you have symptoms, but it is necessary to be in close contact with others, preventive measures such as masking indoors, hand washing and respiratory etiquette can reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory diseases,” he said. He said hospitals in other provinces were seeing a “higher than normal” volume of patients, including children. Health Officer of the province of BC, Dr. Bonnie Henry: No “surge” in hospitalization yet. Photo by Don Craig /BC Government/File But he said that in BC, “even though we’re seeing more respiratory illnesses circulating, we’re not yet experiencing an increase in COVID-19/flu/RSV hospitalizations.” Ontario’s chief medical officer of health strongly recommended on Monday that residents wear masks indoors in public to protect children from a “triple threat” of respiratory viruses, while Alberta’s premier said she would not impose a mask mandate and urged people not to panic.

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In Ontario, children’s hospitals have been overwhelmed by an influx of patients in recent weeks, with younger children at risk from the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, while COVID-19 continues to circulate. Children’s hospitals are at 100 percent capacity and “we’re asking more people to cover,” Dr. Keiran Moore said. Shoppers are covered as they walk the streets of downtown Vancouver on Monday. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG He did not mandate a mask, but said he was “discussing and reviewing” the possibility of requiring masks in schools again. He also advised children between the ages of two and five to wear a mask if possible. “Through COVID-19 infection and vaccination we have achieved a very high level of herd immunity, and the number of people at risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19 has been greatly reduced,” Henry said Monday.

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“Even among the frailest elderly in long-term care facilities, most vaccinated residents with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms,” he said. Long-term care homes collect data on infection rates and submit it to the ministry of health, said Terry Lake, CEO of the BC Care Providers Association. “They are watching things very closely. We are the canary in the coal mine,” he said. “We would know if things got out of hand.” He said all staff wear masks and all visitors age 12 and older must take a rapid antigen test before visiting and wear a mask in public areas of the home. Children 11 and younger must be covered at all times, but are not required to be tested before entering, he said. Dr. Brian Conway, president of the Vancouver Center for Infectious Diseases, says that “in some settings, wearing a mask makes sense.” Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG Files “Our first line of defense remains vaccination,” said Dr. Brian Conway, president of the Vancouver Infectious Disease Center. “The mask is definitely the additional line of defense.”

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He said it is up to individuals to take responsibility to wear a mask or not, depending on whether or not there are cases of COVID at school or at the workplace, for a few days after returning to a public place after recovering from COVID or when you are indoors and it is difficult to maintain a safe distance from others. “In some settings, wearing a mask makes sense and we should wear a mask whether the government tells us to or not,” he said. “You should always have a mask on your face and just wear it if you’re going into a confined space with a lot of people.” Conway and Henry said it’s important to stay home if you’re sick. “I want to be clear about this: You don’t go out (to work, school, or social events) when you’re sick just because you wear a mask. Stay home if you’re sick,” Conway said.

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Henry encouraged everyone to get vaccinated “with whatever dose they are eligible for, as soon as possible.” Health officials will continue to monitor the global pandemic and change protocols if necessary, he said. [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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title: “Covid 19 Bc Coverage Recommended But Not Yet Required Says Bonnie Henry " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Christopher Vanderploeg”

Publication date: Nov 14, 2022 • 6 hours ago • 4 min read • 36 Comments Masked commuters wait for their bus in downtown Vancouver on Monday. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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British Columbians should cover themselves if they have symptoms of respiratory illness and cannot avoid close contact with others indoors, says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

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“We are not looking at reintroducing mask mandates at this time,” Henry said. But he said that could change if necessary as the pandemic progresses. Start your day with a roundup of BC-focused news and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7am, Monday to Friday. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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“We are seeing an increase in respiratory illnesses across the province,” Henry said Monday in an email. He said that’s to be expected because viruses increase in the fall and winter and more people are returning to indoor activities without COVID restrictions. Henry said those who are sick should stay home until the fever is gone (without medication) and they are well enough to participate in normal activities. And he suggested avoiding non-essential close contact with those 70 and older, LTC residents and immunocompromised people, and staying away from LTCs and hospitals until you feel better.

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“If you have symptoms, but it is necessary to be in close contact with others, preventive measures such as masking indoors, hand washing and respiratory etiquette can reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory diseases,” he said. He said hospitals in other provinces were seeing a “higher than normal” volume of patients, including children. Health Officer of the province of BC, Dr. Bonnie Henry: No “surge” in hospitalization yet. Photo by Don Craig /BC Government/File But he said that in BC, “even though we’re seeing more respiratory illnesses circulating, we’re not yet experiencing an increase in COVID-19/flu/RSV hospitalizations.” Ontario’s chief medical officer of health strongly recommended on Monday that residents wear masks indoors in public to protect children from a “triple threat” of respiratory viruses, while Alberta’s premier said she would not impose a mask mandate and urged people not to panic.

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In Ontario, children’s hospitals have been overwhelmed by an influx of patients in recent weeks, with younger children at risk from the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, while COVID-19 continues to circulate. Children’s hospitals are at 100 percent capacity and “we’re asking more people to cover,” Dr. Keiran Moore said. Shoppers are covered as they walk the streets of downtown Vancouver on Monday. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG He did not mandate a mask, but said he was “discussing and reviewing” the possibility of requiring masks in schools again. He also advised children between the ages of two and five to wear a mask if possible. “Through COVID-19 infection and vaccination we have achieved a very high level of herd immunity, and the number of people at risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19 has been greatly reduced,” Henry said Monday.

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“Even among the frailest elderly in long-term care facilities, most vaccinated residents with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms,” he said. Long-term care homes collect data on infection rates and submit it to the ministry of health, said Terry Lake, CEO of the BC Care Providers Association. “They are watching things very closely. We are the canary in the coal mine,” he said. “We would know if things got out of hand.” He said all staff wear masks and all visitors age 12 and older must take a rapid antigen test before visiting and wear a mask in public areas of the home. Children 11 and younger must be covered at all times, but are not required to be tested before entering, he said. Dr. Brian Conway, president of the Vancouver Center for Infectious Diseases, says that “in some settings, wearing a mask makes sense.” Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG Files “Our first line of defense remains vaccination,” said Dr. Brian Conway, president of the Vancouver Infectious Disease Center. “The mask is definitely the additional line of defense.”

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He said it is up to individuals to take responsibility to wear a mask or not, depending on whether or not there are cases of COVID at school or at the workplace, for a few days after returning to a public place after recovering from COVID or when you are indoors and it is difficult to maintain a safe distance from others. “In some settings, wearing a mask makes sense and we should wear a mask whether the government tells us to or not,” he said. “You should always have a mask on your face and just wear it if you’re going into a confined space with a lot of people.” Conway and Henry said it’s important to stay home if you’re sick. “I want to be clear about this: You don’t go out (to work, school, or social events) when you’re sick just because you wear a mask. Stay home if you’re sick,” Conway said.

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Henry encouraged everyone to get vaccinated “with whatever dose they are eligible for, as soon as possible.” Health officials will continue to monitor the global pandemic and change protocols if necessary, he said. [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.