Over 1,000 People In BC Are On A Strict 9:30 PM Curfew During COVID-19
If you thought the new COVID-19 rules were strict, just be thankful that you haven't been placed under curfew. Alert Bay is a small B.C. village that has decided to impose a curfew for all residents. Starting at 9:30 p.m. every day, a public alarm sounds which notify locals that the Alert Bay curfew is about to start. It will give everyone exactly half an hour to get home. The first curfew of this kind was on Monday, April 20.
Many of us haven’t had a curfew in years. But given the current pandemic, the island community of Alert Bay has decided to implement new rules following the declaration of a local state of emergency.
On the Alert Bay community website, it states that on April 18, the village declared a local state of emergency in response to COVID-19.
The village's Mayor, Dennis Buchanan, posted the announcement on social media where he also stated there would be a 9:30 p.m. curfew for everyone.
So there is no confusion, a public alarm will sound every night at 9 p.m. to give residents time to return home.
Every morning the curfew will end at 6 a.m.
“This is not only to protect the local residents but also to keep people from taking the COVID-19 virus off of this island and contaminating people elsewhere. It’s public safety for everybody,” said the mayor in a video address.
During the same video address, Buchanan acknowledged that there had been a cluster outbreak of COVID-19 on the island which led officials to declare a local state of emergency.
“In response to the reality of positive COVID-19 cases on our island, we need to take additional measures to control the spread of the virus to protect everyone,” he explained.
“We are also working together to put in place additional supports, such as spaces, where an infected person can safely isolate.”
Just last week, CTV News reported that Buchanan had tested positive for COVID-19 despite not leaving the island community.
He noted that he did everything he was supposed to do including washing his hands and practicing safe distancing.
Officials in the province have confirmed that B.C.’s COVID-19 growth curve has flatted.
Regardless, public health measures including social distancing are still mandated.
