Next steps in recovery will be based on data, says Dr. Henry

British Columbia’s provincial health officer says they should know by mid-June what the next steps will be in B.C.’s restart plan.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said decisions to allow more activities to resume will be based on the data, such as the number of new cases and outbreaks.

“We need to get comfortable with our phase 2 before progressing further, and as this has progressed in the last week, we’ve seen that. We are becoming more comfortable with our social interactions; how this looks, and how this feels. Businesses are reopening,” said Henry.

Henry said another major event will be in-class schooling resuming next week, with smaller student numbers and a different look from when classes were suspended in March.

The doctor also announced farmers markets can now sell non-food items as the restrictions on that were lifted.

“Our slow and thoughtful approach will continue as that is our new normal,” Henry added.

B.C is reporting 9 new Covid cases, including one in Interior Health, along with two more deaths, both at long term care homes in the Fraser region.

One of the province’s largest outbreaks at the Mission federal prison has been declared over, meaning no new cases for two incubation periods.

There are 241 active cases, with 33 people in hospital, and 6 in ICU.

A total of 2,153 people have fully recovered

There is one new outbreak at the Nicola Lodge care home in Fraser Health region and no new community outbreaks.