Nelson, BC – In today’s Federal Government COVID-19 briefing, the Prime Minister acknowledged the challenges related to securing personal protective equipment (ppe) and critical medical supplies and will be meeting today with the provincial and territorial leaders to discuss. BC Health Minister Adrian Dix said that he is encouraged by what he is hearing from the Federal Government regarding these supplies.
In today’s daily briefing, the Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry stressed that we need to continue following the actions the province has directed us to take over the last few weeks. There are now over one million cases worldwide, with 1,100 cases in BC. The number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19 in BC continues to grow, but in small amounts and are still considered to be manageable.
Dr. Henry and Minister Dix both talked extensively about the importance of avoiding all non-essential travel and are asking everyone not to take tourism related trips at this time. This includes visiting smaller, destination resort type communities and vacation homes, which simply cannot handle any additional patients in their hospitals and medical centres.
Locally, Nelson and Kootenay Lake Tourism says “Our tourism industry is a vital part of our destination, but sadly, we do not want anyone travelling here at this time. Please, stay home.” Read more here. On March 20th, the City of Nelson’s Development Services reached out to all short-term rental property owners to provide assistance for those interested in transitioning to long-term rentals.
The BC Government has provided the following information today:
COVID-19 Cases:
- Total cases in BC to date: 1,121
- Total new cases in BC: 55
o 525 in Vancouver Coastal Health
o 386 in Fraser Health
o 72 in Island Health
o 121 in Interior Health
o 17 in Northern Health
- Total recovered cases in BC: 641
- Total fatalities in BC to date: 31
- Total cases in Canada to date: 11,283
- Total fatalities in Canada to date: 173
Emergency Dental Clinic to open in Nelson during COVID-19 shutdowns:
On March 23, 2020, the College of Dental Surgeons of BC and the Minister of Health strongly recommended that only emergency dental care be provided to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, an emergency community dental clinic is set to open in Nelson next week. The clinic will be for dental emergencies that cannot be handled over the phone with your dentist or with a prescription. The goal is to reduce hospital visits and provide patients with emergency care. For those experiencing a dental emergency, call your dentist for instructions on how to proceed.
Columbia Basin Trust Announces $11.7 million in COVID-19 Support Funding:
People in the Columbia Basin are experiencing new and increasing challenges as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen our community join together in remarkable ways to support each other and we have heard from communities, residents and our partners on how we can help. We are here to support the people of the Basin with immediate support to assist the region through this extraordinary time. This includes support for businesses, First Nations communities, local food banks, community social service agencies and childcare operators. For more information click here…
Update from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction:
To ensure B.C.’s most vulnerable, including people on income or disability assistance and low-income seniors, do not encounter additional barriers during the COVID-19 crisis, the Province is implementing a series of temporary supports and supplements. To read the full news release click here…
Update from the Provincial Government – B.C. taking further action to support essential service providers during pandemic:
Government is taking steps to protect those providing essential services by ensuring they cannot be held liable for damages caused by exposure to COVID-19 while continuing to operate, so long as they are complying with orders from the provincial health officer and other authorities. Read the full news briefing here…