Vancouver Islanders have been struggling with some of the worst air quality on the planet.
Nanaimo was one of the places with thick smoke on Tuesday. It meant fewer people walking along Nanaimo’s waterfront.
“Much quieter because I guess this weather,” said Gerry Gleeson, a Nanaimo resident.
For one Nanaimo woman, the smoke has stopped her from visiting her mom in an assisted living home.
“I heard yesterday morning my visit today was cancelled due to the smoke in the air. I was hoping the care home would come up with an alternate plan and I have heard that a couple of care homes in Nanaimo are allowing visits in room,” said Jeanette Harper.
Harper wasn’t able to visit her mother for six months during COVID19 and says more missed visits take a toll on those suffering from dementia.
“I think the risk to put her at to wear a mask for half-an-hour is worth it to be able to have a visit with me. Those connections are huge and to have gone six months we see she’s not the same person she was,” Harper said.
Eden Garden said nearly 30 family visits had to be cancelled this week due to the smoke and they’re working on alternate visitation plans for the future.
Despite Canada Post saying deliveries were suspended for many B.C. communities Monday, the union representing Nanaimo mail carriers says workers were given a choice to work outdoors.
“In Nanaimo pretty much everyone went out. They were offered N95 masks to go out and deliver their mail and I know quite a few depots around B.C. didn’t go out, but we did,” said Bob Freeman, president of Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 786.
At Island Health, testing for COVID-19 hasn’t gone up with the smoky skies though some symptoms are similar.
“Things like dry cough and runny eyes and irritation those can be associated both with smoke and with COVID, but there are things that are not as likely to be caused by wildfire smoke, so anything like fever and chills and aches and the productive cough and things like that we get with COVID,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer, on Monday.
Kendall Hanson
