#BREAKING Restricted visits to #BC long-term care/assisted living homes will be expanded slowly this summer with one person allowed inside a designated area.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says ban still in place for any home with an outbreak of #COVID19. @NEWS1130

Visits heavily-restricted since March have many family members complaining about being kept away from loved ones.
Henry says access may be expanded after monthly reviews.
Her voice trembles as she thanks everyone for their patience during this pandemic. #bcpoli @NEWS1130

Health Minister @adriandix says strong measures are in place to ensure safety of residents and staff. He confirms single site orders to keep employers from sharing staff costing #BC up to $15M/month.

Almost 100 deaths in LTC from #COVID19.

@BCCareProviders @SrsAdvocateBC

. @adriandix says with 32-thousand people in long-term care, potential is there now for another 32-thousand people to visit.
Access depends on each home having an approved safety plan in place. #bcpoli @NEWS1130

Taking questions now, Henry says visits will be suspended if there’s an outbreak and these restrictions may be in place a year or possibly longer. “12 months is an estimate.” #bcpoli @NEWS1130 @SrsAdvocateBC @BCCareProviders @HospEmpUnion @BCNursesUnion

Re: Why not make masks mandatory?

Henry says you should be wearing a mask if you’re taking transit, but making it mandatory is a challenge for people who can’t always cover their faces. #bcpoli @NEWS1130

Re: need to have more staff in place to monitor and control visits, @adriandix says that could be up to 3 people hired per home, so $160M promised to make that possible during this pandemic. #bcpoli @SrsAdvocateBC @BCCareProviders @HospEmpUnion @NEWS1130

Re: one designated visitor per family, Henry says that’s necessary because people need to be trained for proper safety protocols and visits may be expanded depending on how much space is available in care homes. Perhaps 2 visitors allowed later this summer. #bcpoli @NEWS1130

Re: should everyone entering a home be tested, Henry says no. “It’s not something that we need right now,” but visitors will be screened to ensure they are not bringing #COVID19 into a home and exposing vulnerable seniors. #bcpoli @NEWS1130

Henry says this situation is causing her “most concern” and “we are tipping the balance now”re: consequences of keeping people from seeing those who love them.
Particularly seniors with dementia who need that crucial connection. #bcpoli @SrsAdvocateBC @BCCareProviders @NEWS1130

Re: will visits be time-limited? Henry says that shouldn’t happen.
Re: will volunteers be allowed back in, Henry says changes today don’t apply to them.
Henry hopes to further ease restrictions by August, but again, that depends on how well we keep #COVID19 from spreading.

Henry clarifies this does NOT apply to acute care hospitals, so no visits allowed there yet.
She says caution is needed as people move more and new cases are recorded. “The risk will never be zero.” #bcpoli @NEWS1130

Re: Alberta allowing gatherings of 200 people as of Canada Day, Henry says she’s not ready to expand 50-person limit in #BC and that’s “not going to change in the near future.” #bcpoli @NEWS1130