British Columbia joined other provinces on Wednesday with the release of a plan outlining how it intends to lift COVID-19 restrictions, though the premier cautioned that without continued discipline, “everything we worked for to this point will be lost.” Here’s a look at what’s happening in Canada, the U.S. and around the world.
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British Columbia joined other provinces on Wednesday with the release of a plan outlining how it intends to lift COVID-19 restrictions, though the premier cautioned that without continued discipline, “everything we worked for to this point will be lost.”
According to the plan released by the province, by the time the May long weekend rolls around people should be able to host small gatherings — if both hosts and guests are healthy.
“We need to get it right. This is not a return to normal. We’re going to the new normal,” John Horgan said Wednesday as he unveiled the plan, which will see a range of businesses and services — including non-urgent health care, stores, libraries, parks, salons and restaurants — resume at least some operations by the middle of this month if they can meet public health guidelines.
- ANALYSIS | B.C. bets that people don’t need government hand-holding in next phase of COVID-19 fight
- Gatherings of up to 6 people to be endorsed by B.C. health officials, just in time for the long weekend
The phased plan, which includes some increased in-school services later this academic year, doesn’t include a full reopening of classrooms until September.
The province reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total to 2,255, with 1,494 of those cases considered to be resolved or recovered. To date, the province has reported 124 coronavirus-related deaths.
As of 7:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Canada had 63,496 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, with provinces and territories listing 28,184 of those cases as resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of COVID-19-related deaths based on provincial figures, regional health data and CBC’s reporting listed 4,348 deaths in Canada, with another two abroad.
WATCH | Some businesses will delay opening because of safety concerns:
Businesses are having to evaluate how to operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for a Vancouver artisanal ice cream company it means not opening their stores after restrictions start to lift. 2:02
Public health officials have cautioned that the numbers are likely higher as they don’t capture information on people who have not yet been tested or cases still under investigation. No matter where you are in the country, health officials have said to behave as though there are cases in your community.
The novel coronavirus, which causes an illness called COVID-19, first emerged in China in late 2019. There’s no proven treatment or vaccine, though researchers around the world are frantically searching for solutions. While most cases are mild to moderate, some people — particularly those with underlying health conditions and the elderly — are at increased risk of severe disease or death.
Read on for a look at what’s happening across Canada, in the U.S. and around the world.
What’s happening in the provinces and territories
British Columbia’s reopening guidelines will require organizations and businesses to develop plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. “It won’t be the flip of a switch. We’ll be proceeding carefully,” the premier said. Read more about what’s happening in B.C.
WATCH | B.C. to ease COVID-19 restrictions ahead of May long weekend:
B.C. will begin easing its COVID-19 restrictions ahead of the May long weekend and allow small gatherings and hugs. 1:56
Alberta’s top doctor says the province is having success in flattening the COVID-19 curve, but Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Wednesday that “some locations are more flat than others.” Health officials are closely monitoring cases, Hinshaw said, noting that even a few cases can turn into a larger outbreak. Read more about what’s happening in Alberta.
Saskatchewan announced 25 new coronavirus cases, with all but one of them in the far north of the province. Of the 24 cases in the far north, 22 of those are in La Loche, which is dealing with an outbreak. “That is the outbreak that we very much need to ramp up — and have ramped up — our efforts to contain that,” said the province’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab. Read more about what’s happening in Saskatchewan.
Manitoba reported two new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 284. Eleven of the cases in the province are classified as probable. Read more about what’s happening in Manitoba.
WATCH | How to disinfect a mask:
Andrew Chang explains that if you’re wearing a cloth mask during the COVID-19 pandemic the best way to disinfect it is to wash it. 1:15
Ontario residents will soon be able to visit garden centres and hardware stores, and more retailers will be allowed to open up — but only for curbside pickup. The province, which recently released a framework around how to reopen, failed to meet its provincial target of 16,000 tests for the second day in a row Wednesday, after exceeding it for the previous three days. Read more about what’s happening in Ontario.
Quebec on Wednesday reported an additional 112 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to