By Lyonel Doherty
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has urged young people to find trusted adults and talk about their anxieties over the pandemic.
In today’s COVID-19 update, Henry acknowledged the stress that teenagers are facing.
“This is a very challenging time for teenagers to be stuck at home (and not have social interaction with their friends).”
She also said teens are worried about finishing high school and their prospects for university and jobs.
But Henry said the pandemic is a transition in their lives that can be addressed through conversation and information from trusted sources.
Henry said the virus risk remains high in B.C., noting there are 53 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,174, including 126 confirmed cases in the Interior Health region.
“We are in the thick of things and this is our time to hold the line; we must be unwavering to keep our firewall up (to flatten the curve).”
Henry reported an additional outbreak in another long-term care facility, bringing the total to 22 now.
And she sadly reported an additional four deaths, bringing the total to 35 in B.C.
But she delivered some “slightly positive” news in the fact that hospitalizations (146) have gone down two from yesterday.
She also reported there are 64 people in critical care, but noted that a total of 641 have fully recovered from the virus.
Henry said while people are making big sacrifices by following strict measures, more travellers are returning to B.C. from places where COVID-19 has caused havoc. She noted these people must self-isolate for 14 days without exception.
Henry encouraged people to support their loves ones who are coming home. This can be done by dropping off groceries or walking their dogs, she pointed out.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said emergency room visits have gone down significantly to 3,117 (yesterday) from 6,559 three weeks ago.
He also acknowledged that B.C. has cancelled 11,276 surgeries during the pandemic. However, he said the government remains committed to getting back to these procedures.
Dix thanked Ministry of Health staff for “working their guts out” every day by putting in unbelievable amounts of overtime and doing exemplary work during this crisis.
In other news, he expressed his disappointment with the announcement that the U.S. (President Donald Trump) has ordered that exports of N95 masks be halted to Canada.
Dix said while their American cousin is facing extraordinary pressures from COVID-19, controlling the supply chain of medical supplies is wrong.
But instead of responding with retaliation, Canada should respond with an insistence that the two countries work together, Dix said.
“This is our fight together; we need to convince our American friends that this action is wrong for them and for us.”
