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Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry provided a timeline on B.C.’s remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including the removal of the mask mandate as of 12:01 a.m. tomorrow (March 11).
Screen grab from Province of B.C. YouTube
B.C. ending mask mandate, other restrictions
By Hannah Scott, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Published 1:32 PST, Thu March 10, 2022
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Masks will no longer be mandatory in public indoor spaces across B.C. as of tomorrow, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said today.
“With the science and our data top of mind, it clearly shows that our risks now are much lower,” she said. “They’re not zero and we’re not fully out of this yet, but I feel confident that we can safely make some further changes.”
Some settings will still require masks, including physicians’ offices and other health-care providers. Where people are gathered closely together, like public transit or ferries, masks are encouraged although not mandated.
Other restrictions ending at midnight include the overnight child and youth camp order, capacity limits on faith gatherings, and the suspension of long-term care visitation. Visitors to long-term care must still be fully vaccinated and take a rapid test before entry.
Masks will no longer be required in schools after spring break. Child care guidelines will also be revised.
The BC Vaccine Card will be discontinued on April 8. On that date, the post-secondary residence vaccine requirement will be lifted and businesses can transition from COVID-19 safety plans to communicable disease plans.
Regulated health professionals will no longer be subject to a vaccination mandate, although employees must report their vaccination status by March 31.
“While today is another really positive step forward, we have to be ready to bring some tools back if necessary, depending on the situation as it changes,” said Henry. “It’s become clear to us that this virus will be circulating in communities for time to come.”
Ongoing surveillance will continue for COVID along with other serious respiratory illnesses like influenza and RSV.
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