Canada: British Columbia announces four-step restart plan aiming to lift all restrictions by September
Vancouver (B.C.)/IBNS: John Horgan, premier of British Columbia, announced Tuesday at a news conference about a four-step reopening plan that could see people socializing normally again as early as September if Covid-19 case counts and hospitalizations continue to decline.
"The light we've been talking about for weeks and weeks now is in hand," he said.
Provincial officials said that the province plans to virtually remove all public health orders, as early as Sept 7 and making masks a personal choice, allowing events and socializing to happen as they did before the pandemic.
As of Tuesday, residents in smaller numbers were permitted to dine indoors, use the gym for low-intensity workouts, play outdoor sports, and hold faith-based gatherings in person with mandatory safety protocols including masks and physical distancing measures.
Travelling for recreational purposes was also allowed, but restricted within the province's three regional health zones, which are areas covered by the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities; the Northern and Interior health authorities; and Vancouver Island.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
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