As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and restrictions remain in place, the pressure to reopen the economy is building. Across North America, some governments are beginning the process of rebooting businesses and relaxing some restrictions.
Ontario’s premier laid out how that province will move forward with a three-stage framework on Monday.
“It’s not a calendar it’s a road map. So we’re going to continue working hard and I just encourage everyone to keep following the protocols,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.
B.C. has not experienced the impact that the pandemic has caused in Ontario, but B.C. is taking a slower approach with reopening plans.
“I think people given credible information from credible sources with good rationale can actually do this for a while.” said Psychology Professor from the University of Victoria Catherine Costigan.
And for British Columbians the numbers will make it hard to push back against those leading our response. Of the 40 jurisdictions in Canada, the United States or western Europe with at least five million people, B.C. has the lowest number of deaths per capita.
And on Sunday, there were just 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the lowest in a single day since March 14.
“We have had a made in B.C. approach to our pandemic. And our experience of the pandemic has been different as we have seen across the country and around the world,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, who also added that plans to reopen and loosen restrictions are in place, but it’s important to get it right and not rush.
Ben Nesbit
