BC Threatens To Slash Gathering Limits After Another Day Of Record-Breaking COVID-19 Cases

Dr. Bonnie Henry addressed the public on Thursday, October 22 to provide an update on COVID-19 in British Columbia. 

After reporting the second record-breaking daily numbers for the second day in a row, the health official said she may be forced to impose stricter gathering restrictions in B.C.

After announcing 274 new COVID-19 cases in the 24-hours leading up to the update, Henry said she gatherings are to blame for many of those cases. 

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1,920 Total cases in B.C.

“As much as I am hesitant to do so, and we’ve seen this before, if there is a major source of transmission, additional measures can and will be put in place, if they’re needed,” said Henry. 

“We will use all the tools that are available, whether that is conditions tied to wedding license, restrictions on numbers and indoor gatherings, or other measures that we know will be effective in trying to break these large transmission events. The reality is that, right now, everywhere in B.C., weddings, funerals, and other life occasions need to be as small as possible,” she continued. 

She went on to say that gatherings should be limited to your "safe six," though this is not the official limit. 

She said the new cases are a result of Thanksgiving, workplace connections, carpooling, and other social interactions. 

“Show you care, like keeping those outside your immediate household off your invite list right now. Sometimes it’s very challenging for people to say no, because we want to be supportive, we want to be together with our families, but it is not safe for everybody right now, and we need to recognize that and accept that,” the doctor pleaded.