By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

STOMP THE CURVE

Island COVID-19 case drought continues as Premier Horgan addresses racism, return to school

May 20, 2020 | 3:31 PM

NANAIMO — Vancouver Island continues to flatten the COVID-19 curve with another day of no new, confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

In a joint statement, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and health minister Adrian Dix confirmed the regional tally remains at 126 and the Island has not seen a new case of COVID-19 since May 8.

Across B.C., they announced 21 new cases of COVID-19, reaching 2,467 total cases with only 317 remaining active. A total of 43 people are currently hospitalized, including one on Vancouver Island.

Three additional deaths were confirmed in the statement, all in the Lower Mainland. To date, 149 people have lost their lives to COVID-19.

Dr. Henry and minister Dix said in the statement the province’s restart plan is proceeding with many retail and personal service businesses beginning their re-open procedures on Tuesday, May 19.

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They stressed the importance of staying the course in the methods and decisions which got B.C. to a point of being able to return to a new normal.

“Our individual circumstances are unique, but the actions we can take to protect each other and ourselves are the same. We have made great strides to flatten our curve and we must continue to work together to keep it there.”

The statement also echoed new recommendations from the federal government on the use of non-medical grade masks in situations where physical distancing is not possible.

“When it is difficult to keep a safe physical distance for an extended period of time – for example, when you are on transit – this is a good way for you to protect those around you.”

“It’s absolutely reprehensible”

Premier John Horgan held a brief press conference from Victoria earlier on Wednesday to address several issues, including a recent incident of vandalism in Parksville believed to be motivated by race.

The owners of the business targeted are both Asian.

“It’s absolutely reprehensible that a business would be isolated because of the ethnicity (of the owners),” Horgan said. “It’s unacceptable in British Columbia and if those perpetrators are caught, they can expect the full force of the law to come down upon them.”

Horgan also responded to concerns from teachers about returning to work amid the pandemic and exposing themselves to the family bubbles of students.

Voluntary, in-person education is due to resume in June. Horgan said the trial run will help fuel innovation and guide how the province returns a more wide reaching education plan in the fall.

“We want to do a dry run for teachers, support staff, administrators to get a sense of what a physical distancing school will look like,” Horgan said. “Each school will have different configurations for how they’ll operate in June and that will inform how we prepare for September.”

The Legislature is currently not sitting, however Horgan said a return either June 15 or June 22 is likely.

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