New health restrictions to take effect between midnight on Dec 19 and the end of January are aimed at slowing the growth of COVID-19 cases in the province. (B.C. Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

new restrictions

Province-wide health restrictions place limits on events/gatherings, sports tournaments cancelled

Dec 17, 2021 | 1:19 PM

NANAIMO — Drastically rising COVID-19 cases in the province led to several notable public health orders to take effect Monday Dec 20.

Dr. Bonnie Henry told a Friday, Dec 17 media briefing action is required to help slow surging case numbers accelerated by the Omicron vairiant.

The following public health orders apply between Monday, Dec 20 and January 31.

• Limited indoor personal gatherings to a maximum 10 guests, or one extra household if all participants are vaccinated.
• All sports tournaments during this time are cancelled during the temporary order.
• All New Year’s Eve gatherings restricted to seated-only events, with no mingling or dancing allowed.
• All venues with more than 1,000 people in attendance are limited to 50 per cent capacity.
• Food primary establishments to have restricted movements between tables, with no mingling among different groups of people. Reinforced mask-wearing when patrons are not seated.
• Amended vaccine passport program to cover organized events of all sizes, not just 50 or more people as currently in place. QR codes must be used at all events.
• Emphasizing retail store operators to have COVID-19 safety plans in place for holiday and Boxing Day sales.

Covid-19 cases nearly doubled in the past week to 753 new cases announced in B.C. on Thursday, up from 341 the week prior. The province noted there have been 135 cases of the Omicron variant in the province so far, while none are known to have led to hospitalizations so far.

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On Tuesday Dr. Henry released new modelling data demonstrating expected challenges from the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Projections by public health examined a worst/best case scenario of 2,000 new daily COVID cases in B.C. by the end of the year, to roughly 1,000 new daily cases by mid January.

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