B.C. imposes new gathering limits, restaurant rules, vaccine requirements as COVID-19 cases surge
CTV
The B.C. government has announced a raft of new COVID-19 restrictions as the province braces for an expected explosion in cases triggered by the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
The B.C. government has announced a raft of new COVID-19 restrictions as the province braces for an expected explosion in cases triggered by the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
The measures, which take effect Monday and are scheduled to remain throughout the month of January, include new size limits for personal gatherings, stricter rules for dining at restaurants, and the expansion of vaccine passport requirements.
The province is also bringing back a 50 per cent capacity limit for larger venues, pausing sports tournaments, and suspending organized New Year's Eve gatherings of any size.
"We see the trajectory in countries around the world, and we're not going to be an exception to that," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said. "We will see rapidly rising cases over the next few weeks."
Henry said that while much remains unknown about the Omicron variant, the alarming pace at which it spreads could quickly put a strain on B.C.'s hospitals and their weary staff, even if the variant is less likely to cause severe illness than previous iterations.
"It is moving quickly and so must we. This is, of course, not where we want to be," Henry said.
"But it is the reality of where we are. And right now, we need to slow the spread and ensure that our health-care system and our communities are protected."
