Tuesday, May 5, 2020 – 3:45pm
COVID-19 PANDEMIC UPDATE #35 – CITY OF NELSON
Premier Horgan to Announce Made-in-BC Plan to Restart the Economy
Premier John Horgan will address the province at 3:00pm on Wednesday, May 6th to announce a ‘Made-in-BC Plan’ to restart the economy. Premier Horgan said, “Just like we have since day one of this pandemic, our decisions will be guided by science and the best advice of experts.” He added, “While many people are concerned that we’re not moving quickly enough to restart B.C., and just as many are fearful that moving too quickly will set us back. It’s a careful balance that we’re working hard to achieve.”
The epidemiological modelling shows that B.C. has been able to slow the spread of COVID-19, but it hasn’t yet stopped it. The modelling also highlights that we must maintain safe physical distancing, as it is the most effective way to keep the curve flat. Public Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says that “Until we have a vaccine available for everybody, COVID-19 is going to be in B.C. This means our ‘new normal’ must continue to protect our health and well-being, protect our health-care system, create opportunities for increased social interaction and allow for the rebuilding of our economy with the cautious easing of restrictions.” She added, “Our ‘new normal’ is based on principles that apply to every person and every situation. These principles are the foundation of how we need to move forward with our B.C. plan and will remain in place in the weeks and months ahead.”
These principles include:
- staying informed, being prepared and following public health advice;
- practising good hygiene – hand hygiene, avoid touching your face and respiratory etiquette;
- staying at home and away from others if you are feeling ill – not ever going to school or work;
- maintaining physical distancing outside the household, e.g., no handshakes or hugs, and keeping your number of contacts low and keeping a safe distance;
- making necessary contacts safer with appropriate controls, e.g., using plexiglass barriers or redesigning spaces;
- increasing cleaning of frequently touched surfaces at home and work;
- considering the use of non-medical masks in situations where physical distancing cannot be maintained, such as on transit or while shopping; and
- continuing to reduce personal non-essential travel.
To read the full provincial statement from May 4, 2020: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0025-000816
B.C. Wildfire Service Launches Official Wildfire App
The official B.C. Wildfire Service mobile app is now available, providing real-time wildfire information and an interactive map that users can customize to display a variety of fire-related data.
Key features of the mobile app include:
- Interactive wildfire map
- Latest news and advisories
- Statistics
- Fire reporting tool
The BC Wildfire Service mobile app is free to download in the App Store and Google Play.
To read the full media release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020FLNR0025-000815
Emergency Preparedness Week: May 3rd - 9th, 2020
This week is Emergency Preparedness Week, an annual national event that takes place each year during the first full week of May to provide information and resources to encourage Canadians to take concrete actions to be better prepared to protect themselves and their families during emergencies.
With wildfire and flood season upon us, it is important to know that emergencies do happen, and depending on the severity, your household could be impacted for several days. There are many resources available to help your family prepare for an emergency, including how to build a grab-and-go emergency kit.
To learn more and help your family prepare, visit PreparedBC:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc
Health Canada Urges Caution When Using Cleaning Products
As Canadians try to keep themselves and their homes virus-free, Health Canada has reported a rise in cleaner and disinfectant-related accidental poisonings since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
- The federal health agency attributes the increase to factors such as:
- More cleaning products in homes as people stock up during isolation.
- More exposure to these products as people clean and disinfect their homes more often.
- More time spent at home — including for children.
To find out more about how to use household chemicals safely visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/home-safety/household-chemical-safety.html
The BC Government has provided the following information today:
COVID-19 Case Statistics:
- Total cases in B.C. to date: 2232
- 849 in Vancouver Coastal Health
- 1031 in Fraser Health
- 124 in Island Health
- 177 in Interior Health (No Change in 24hrs)
- 51 in Northern Health
- Total fatalities in B.C. to date: 121 (Increase of 4 in 24hrs)
- Total new cases in BC: 8
- Total who have fully recovered: 1472
- Total cases in Canada to date: 61,159
- Total fatalities in Canada to date: 3,915
Important Resources & Information – COVID-19
Which businesses are open in Nelson?
https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/news
B.C. Government Resources List for Support and Information during COVID-19
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support
Supports for Businesses in BC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/employment-business-and-economic-development/business-management/small-business/covid-19_small_business_supports.pdf
Wellness Together Canada https://ca.portal.gs/
Anxiety Canada https://www.anxietycanada.com/
BounceBack BC https://bouncebackbc.ca/
Here2Talk for Post-Secondary Students https://here2talk.ca/home
Psychological First Aid – Over 19+ https://www.psychologists.bc.ca/covid-19-resources
Crisis Line Association of BC – 1-800 suicide (1 800 784-2433) - 24/7
www.crisiscentre.bc.ca - 24/7 - crisis and suicide intervention
Mental Health and Information Support Line - 310-6789 (no area code required)
Kids Help Phone – 1-800-668-6868
www.kidshelphone.ca or text connect to 686868 - 24/7
Helpline for Children - 310-1234 (no area code required)
www.youthinbc.com - 24/7
VictimlinkBC – 1-800-563-0808 - 24/7
information, referrals. Immediate crisis support
HealthLinkBC - 811 or www.healthlinkbc.ca
For seniors looking for additional support at this time, call 211 or visit:
www.bc211.ca
Interior Crisis Line Network – 1-888-353-2273 - 24/7
Nelson Transition House – (250) 354-4357
24/7 - Specifically for women leaving or struggling in, an abusive relationship.
Nelson Police Department Victim Services – (250) 505-5657
To help provide important information to our community, the City of Nelson has developed a dedicated webpage nelson.ca/covid19 that will be updated frequently as new information becomes available. Please sign-up for ‘City News’ on NotifyMe to receive automatic updates from the City via text or email.
The City of Nelson relies on Interior Health, BC Public Health, and the Federal Government for information related to the virus itself. If you believe you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your physician, or call the COVID-19 telephone line at 1-888-COVID19, to be assessed or call the testing clinic hotline at (250) 551-7500 to be triaged for testing. Symptoms of COVID-19 include coughing, fever, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. These symptoms may not present themselves for up to 14 days, but you may be a carrier of the virus; therefore it is important to follow the guidelines set out by the health experts.
To check your symptoms or get updates from the B.C. Government you can download the BC COVID-19 App or visit this website
We thank you for doing your part to help maintain a safe and healthy community and for understanding the importance of this evolving situation.
Information from the B.C. Center for Disease Control on COVID-19
Media Contact:
Ginger Lester, EOC Information Officer glester@nelson.ca