Island Health suffered its second worst day ever on Wednesday. (Facebook/Gov't of B.C.)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

COVID update

2nd worst day ever in Island Health, masks now mandatory indoors for grades 4 to 12

Mar 31, 2021 | 4:21 PM

NANAIMO — Island Health suffered the second worst day on record in the fight against COVID-19.

The health authority recorded 57 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, March 31. The worst day was only less than one week before with 59 on Friday, March 26.

There are currently 364 active cases, with 156 in the central Vancouver Island area.

There is a data discrepancy between Island Health and the province, based on the timing of COVID-19 results. NanaimoNewsNOW reports local verified data from Island Health.

B.C. as a whole suffered the worst day yet with 1,013 new COVID-19 cases, the first time cases have crested 1,000.

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This takes the province to more than 100,000 cases during the pandemic.

There are currently 7,405 active cases with a further 11,500 people being monitored.

While the number of people in hospital remained relatively unchanged to hover around 300, the number of people in ICU rose to 80.

The ministry of education announced a mandatory mask policy at all times when indoors for students from grade 4 through 12.

Exclusions include if students can’t put on or remove a mask on their own, educational reasons, or to eat and drink.

The policy takes effect on Thursday, April 1.

The enhanced mask-wearing rule advances guidance from the Provincial Health Office earlier this week to “support and encourage” mask-wearing in schools.

The province implemented a mask-wearing rule nearly two months ago for all K-12 staff and secondary students, but the rule didn’t apply at students’ individual work stations.

Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools encourages students between kindergarten and grade three to wear a non-medical mask while indoors.

As COVID-19 cases rise, Island Health has debuted another mass vaccination clinic.

The Cedar Community Centre will be open daily between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. from Wednesday, March 31 to Oct.31 for scheduled immunization apppointments.

Seniors 73 and older as well as Indigenous people over the age of 18 can now book their vaccination appointments at Island Health clinics.

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