Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has declared a COVID-19 outbreak in Central Okanagan..Beginning at midnight Thursday, a mandatory mask mandate for anyone older than 12 will be “enforced” at all indoor public spaces in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, Peachland, Lake Country and local electoral areas..People are also “encouraged” to wear masks outdoors..“We are concerned in public health about the rapid increase in the Central Okanagan, particularly around the Kelowna area,” said Henry..COVID-19 enforcement demands have been increased by Interior Health, meaning businesses can be forced to close when deemed necessary. Interior Health will be monitoring Central Okanagan businesses to “ensure compliance.”.These restrictions follow Interior Health reporting that vaccination rates in the area are lower than the provincial average, in what some view as a warning to the rest of the province for what is to come in the fall..“It is a choice to be immunized, but there are consequences for people who are not immunized and that’s going to be more important for us as we head into the fall,” said Henry on Tuesday morning, one day prior to dishing out the new mandates..More to come….Reid Small is a BC correspondent for the Western Standard.rsmall@westernstandardonline.com
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has declared a COVID-19 outbreak in Central Okanagan..Beginning at midnight Thursday, a mandatory mask mandate for anyone older than 12 will be “enforced” at all indoor public spaces in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, Peachland, Lake Country and local electoral areas..People are also “encouraged” to wear masks outdoors..“We are concerned in public health about the rapid increase in the Central Okanagan, particularly around the Kelowna area,” said Henry..COVID-19 enforcement demands have been increased by Interior Health, meaning businesses can be forced to close when deemed necessary. Interior Health will be monitoring Central Okanagan businesses to “ensure compliance.”.These restrictions follow Interior Health reporting that vaccination rates in the area are lower than the provincial average, in what some view as a warning to the rest of the province for what is to come in the fall..“It is a choice to be immunized, but there are consequences for people who are not immunized and that’s going to be more important for us as we head into the fall,” said Henry on Tuesday morning, one day prior to dishing out the new mandates..More to come….Reid Small is a BC correspondent for the Western Standard.rsmall@westernstandardonline.com
