Vancouver Island's chief medical health officer recommends avoiding travel to Lower Mainland
Contact tracing evidence shows some people who travelled to Lower Mainland came back exposed to COVID
As the number of daily COVID-19 cases continues to rise in B.C., Island Health's chief medical health officer is urging residents to avoid travel to the Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland until the new public health orders are lifted or the number of infections decreases.
B.C.'s top health officials announced sweeping new COVID-19 restrictions for the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions for a two-week period starting Saturday, as cases in the province continued to surge.
Dr. Richard Stanwick, chief medical health officer for Island Health, recommends people on the Island stay away from Vancouver unless it is essential, as contact tracing evidence shows that some people who have travelled to the Lower Mainland have come back exposed to COVID-19.
"We do know and we've certainly documented that people who have gone over there have come back with more than just a good time, but with COVID," Stanwick told All Points West host Kathryn Marlow on Tuesday.
Given that the Lower Mainland is now considered a hot spot, Stanwick believes avoiding travel to the area is one easy way Island residents can support the efforts of health officials as they try to manage the case load.
"Let's support the efforts being done in the Lower Mainland by not going over there and possibly adding to their problem," Stanwick added.
The new order from Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry focused on social gatherings, travel, indoor group exercise and workplaces. She asked residents in the two affected health regions to not engage in any social interactions outside their immediate households and recommended avoiding travel unless it is essential.
Stanwick said while it is still safe on the Island to continue socializing with your "safe six," he recommends people "shrink [their] social bubbles," if possible.
"That's what is going to allow us to get back down to those handful of cases ... because that could creep up," he said. "And it doesn't take much for this to get away and then you end up chasing the virus instead of controlling it."
On Thursday, Island Health reported a total of 51 active cases in the region.
With files from All Points West