Provincial COVID-19 management sees some changes

NORTHERN BC- The guidance on handling COVID-19 transmission in BC is changing as the Omicron variant continues to circulate.

Provincial Health Officer, Dr.Bonnie Henry says the Omicron variant is different than any other. As a result, the response from health officials needs to change. One of these changes is steering away from the use of contact tracing. This is because Omicron has a shorter incubation period, meaning it’s impossible for tracers to identify all close contacts during this time.

The advice for isolation is also changing. It is said that many people will have mild or asymptomatic cases, and everyone needs to assume they have recently been in close contact with a case. However, even if a friend or loved one has tested positive, isolation is not necessary. Vaccinated people who have mild symptoms and aren’t eligible to get a test based off the BCCDC testing guidelines should simply stay home and resume their usual activities when they feel better. Unvaccinated adults still need to isolate for 10 days if they do test positive as they’re at a much higher risk of developing severe illness and ending up in hospital. Vaccinated individuals that test positive need to isolate for five days. Henry also reiterated the importance of self monitoring for symptoms.