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By Caden Fanshaw

COVID-19

BC eases restrictions to allow outdoor gatherings up to 10 people

Mar 11, 2021 | 5:59 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – As the temperatures warm up, and vaccination efforts continue, BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has tweaked some restrictions.

BC Health Officials now allow gatherings of up to 10 people outdoors only.

The order comes into effect immediately.

Social distancing is still required, but due to the lower risk of transmitting COVID-19 outdoors, Dr. Bonnie Henry says the change in restrictions is safe and provides some much-needed social interaction.

Dr. Henry added that different groups of 10 people are not allowed, and is asking you to keep within the same group of 10.

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Grabbing a coffee with a friend, relaxing on a deck, or allowing your kids to meet their friends at a playground are all activities that are now allowed.

Allowing your children to have a sleepover, for example, is however not allowed as indoor gatherings with those who are outside of your immediate household remain banned until further notice.

Gatherings of this size had been banned since November 2020 when the province brought in sweeping restrictions including mandatory mask use in public and retail spaces.

“If you’re going to see others, it has to be outside,” says Dr. Henry.

Dr. Henry encouraged British Columbians to safely visit seniors or those loved ones you have not been able to connect with over the last stretch of the pandemic.

She also added a heartfelt message to younger people, those in school and in universities trying to deal with online learning.

A group of the population she says have indirectly at times been extremely affected by the pandemic, impacted worse than others. Dr. Henry broke down in tears after asking the public to hold younger people close.

“It’s been a challenging year for us all and now is the time again, to remember to redouble our efforts,” says Dr. Henry.

St. Patty’s Day

Dr. Henry also restricted alcohol sales past 8 p.m. on March 17th for St. Patricks Day in an attempt to avoid an ‘explosive’ rise in case numbers.

“We need to save our big parties for the summer,” added Dr. Henry.

Dr. Henry added by the time we get to the summer months, we will be in a different part of our post-pandemic world.