We have watched COVID-19 take many things from us. We can not have large gatherings, this means no parties, no dinner parties and no physical contact. Our young people have dreams snatched from them, from graduations to the fairytale wedding ceremonies. We have had our businesses closed because of potential infection. It would that this is going to our way of life for the next winter and possibly next summer. We have been asked to be patient and place all of our hopes into a vaccine. We are being told that it is stage 3 of trial testing, so human testing has begun. What has Government really done to stimulate commerce and help small and medium-sized businesses weather the storm? As one business owner I know has stated, the government has handed us what amounts to be a welfare check. In some cases, it has helped keep stores open and keep some business to consumer sales. There is more to our economy than keeping retail stores open. We need other industry to get back to work and as an intellectual society, we need more than clothes and food. We need arts and entertainment to help keep our minds happy and functional. It would seem that there are more hangups and few steps forward. Smaller business needs more help and funding getting the kind of online presence need to maintain the same level of business and income so keep employees and service to our community. Our government is not seeing a need to help small business alive and well, access to loans is just not enough.

The following press release is from the BC Health Officials

Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia:

Today, we are announcing 100 new cases, and no new epi-linked cases, for a total of 6,691 cases in British Columbia.

There are 1,378 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, 3,101 people who are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and 5,086 people who tested positive have recovered.

Currently, 37 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19 15 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 2,285 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 3,482 in the Fraser Health region, 185 in the Island Health region, 462 in the Interior Health region, 193 in the Northern Health region and 84 cases of people who live outside of Canada.

There have been no new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 213 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are two new health-care facility outbreaks, one at Royal Arch Masonic Home long-term care facility in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and one at the Milieu Children and Family Services Society community living facility in the Fraser Health region. In total, 12 long-term care or assisted-living facilities and three acute-care facilities have active outbreaks.

There have been no new community outbreaks, although there continue to be community exposure events.

Alerts are posted on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) website, as well as on health authorities’ websites, providing details on where the potential exposure occurred and what actions to take – whether you need to self-isolate or monitor for symptoms.

This fall and winter, we will be facing two health challenges – the usual respiratory season as well as COVID-19. What this means is that we have to put measures in place now to ensure our health-care centres, communities and all of us are ready for what may be ahead.

Our community well-being is about ensuring we maintain our health and our economy. We need both to keep our communities and all of us resilient and strong.

Today, Premier John Horgan announced B.C.’s fall pandemic plan. The plan is focusing on protecting our most vulnerable citizens and ensuring our health-care system has the necessary resources in place.

The steps each of us takes today and in the coming weeks, including taking a few minutes to get your influenza immunization, will make a difference tomorrow.

“Let’s all do our part to help strengthen the well-being of all our communities–using our layers of protection, going back to our smaller, safer social interactions and all of us working together to find our balance with COVID-19.”

Listen to “Depictions Media” on Spreaker.

Quick Facts:

• Assisted living, long-term care homes and seniors’ rental buildings with ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks are as follows:
  • Vancouver Coastal Health
    • Holy Family long-term care facility (second outbreak)
    • Point Grey Private Hospital long-term care facility
    • Royal Arch Masonic Home long-term care facility
  • Fraser Health
    • Bear Creek Villa independent-living facility
    • Cherington Place long-term care facility
    • Czorny Alzheimer Centre long-term care facility
    • Derby Manor long-term care facility
    • George Derby Centre long-term care facility
    • KinVillage assisted-living facility
    • MSA Manor long-term care facility (second outbreak)
    • New Vista Care Home long-term care facility
    • Normanna long-term care facility

Learn More:

To learn more about the Province’s plan for fall to support vulnerable people, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020PREM0050-001694

To find the provincial health officer’s orders, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus

For the latest modelling information presented on Sept. 3, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/COVID19_Going_Forward_Sept_2020.pdf

To see a map of COVID-19 cases by local health area, visit:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data

If you are experiencing symptoms, find a collection centre near you to get tested:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing

If you have plans this weekend, follow Dr. Bonnie Henry’s Good Times Guide: https://goodtimes.gov.bc.ca/

For mental health and anxiety support, visit: www.bouncebackbc.ca
Or: www.anxietycanada.com

For a listing of the community exposure events, go to:
BCCDC (flights, work sites, etc.): http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/public-exposures
Fraser Health: fraserhealth.ca/covid19exposure
Interior Health: https://news.interiorhealth.ca/news/public-exposures/
Island Health: https://www.islandhealth.ca/learn-about-health/covid-19/outbreaks-and-exposures
Northern Health: https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-topics/outbreaks-and-exposures
Vancouver Coastal: http://www.vch.ca/covid-19/public-exposures