Monday May 18, 2020 ~ VICTORIA, BC
by Mary Brooke, B.Sc. ~ West Shore Voice News
“In public health we will be watching very carefully and for our ability to manage any new cases that we see,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry on this Monday of the Victoria Day long weekend.
The approach by public health in Phase 2 of the Restart BC plan will be to “move carefully and stay alert”, said Dr Henry during a media briefing today along with Health Minister Adrian Dix.
Phase 2 of the Restart BC plan at this point in management of the COVID-19 pandemic in BC starts tomorrow Tuesday May 19 and for now runs to May 31. Dr Henry expects the number of test-positive cases to go up but the approach to is to keep any flare-ups within a manageable range.
Phase 2 allows businesses, offices and other activities to begin operating again (or more robustly, if they were already open) with strict attention to physical distancing, hygiene, and other protocols within industry-specific guidelines. Small outdoor activities for children — including summer camps — will be able to operate within guidelines.
Phase 3 is presently scheduled to roll out during June and September (including the reopening of schools on June 1 on a part-time voluntary basis).
Everyone is expected to do their part:
Dr Henry asks everyone in BC to “do their part and to continue to hold the line on COVID-19.” She wants people to pay attention to “how to keep you and those around you safe”.
“Our well being and future is still in our hands,” the provincial health officer said today.
If taking transit or going into a small store, consider wearing a cloth face mask to protect others, says Dr Henry. “Simple things can make a big difference. Only you know your own risk, for yourself or family,” she said today.
“If someone is having a cancer treatment, of there is somebody who is ill in your family, you may need to take more precautions,” said Dr Henry.
Rolling with the punches in Phase 2:
As for the full rollout of Phase 2, Dr Henry said today: “We may not get it 100% right all the time as we move forward. We are all in this together. We will work through this together in the next few weeks.”
Visiting in long term care:
She said it is “difficult in long term care”. Dr Henry says she receives letters asking her to intervene in situations where people wish to visit loved ones in long term care.
“I empathize with every individual case. But I cannot intervene in cases of individual care teams. We hear you,” said Dr Henry.
People who wish to do more to connect with a patient in long term care may connect with the patient quality council in their local health authority, to address their individual needs.
The latest two deaths announced today by Dr Henry and Minister Dix were of residents in long term care. There continue to be 19 active outbreaks in care homes in BC (19 in long term care, and five in acute-care) but no new outbreaks in that sector. One more outbreak has been declared over, that’s at Dufferin Care Centre in Fraser Health.
Of the cases in long term care settings, 528 people have tested positive (326 residents and 202 staff).
One outbreak in long-term care has been declared over, that’s at Dufferin Care Centre in Fraser Health.
COVID-19 Cases & Death Tally in BC:
In the 48 hours since the last update of May 16, there have been 16 new test-positive cases of COVID-19 in BC (eight from mid-day Saturday to mid-day Sunday, and eight from mid-day Sunday to mid-day today).
That brings the total of cases in BC to 2,444 people tested positive. Regional breakdown: 882 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 1,195 in Fraser Health, 126 in Island Health, 181 in Interior Health, and 60 in Northern Health.
There are no new community outbreaks reported today in BC.
Currently in BC there are 335 active cases of COVID-19 infection in BC (across all health regions). Of those, 47 people are hospitalized (with 12 in critical care).
The number of people in BC who have fully recovered from COVID-19 is 1,966.
The death tally in BC resulting from active COVID-19 cases stands at 143, which includes the latest two deaths of residents in long term care (one in Fraser Health, one in Vancouver Coastal).
How COVID-19 impacts the body:
COVID-19 was at first called a respiratory disease because lung function is seriously impacted in cases that lead to death. But now there is also considerable evidence that COVID-19 is a cardiovascular disease, in that blood vessels and tissue around the heart are ‘attacked’. Blood vessels in the lungs that ‘explode’ lead to the breathing difficulties that frequently require use of a mechanical ventilator.
The level of a person’s health to begin with is one of the strongest indicator of success in recovering from a COVID-19 infection.
The impact of COVID-19 on children — who overall have seemed to be ‘unaffected’ (probably asymptomatic in many cases) — the damage to blood vessels may have longer-term health impacts.
Unexpected result of the Snowbirds Operation Inspiration:
Both Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr Bonnie Henry today noted their sadness over the death of one of the Snowbirds personnel, ironically as the mission of flying over Canadian communities was to inspire, not bring more grief.
“The idea was to lift our spirits,” said Dix about “the difficult terrible events yesterday in Kamloops”.