BC premier responds to criticisms around transparency of COVID-19 data reporting

Amid growing calls for more transparency when it comes to how BC reports COVID-19 data, Premier John Horgan is remaining steadfast in his approach.

“We have done the best we can to make sure that those that need to know, do know,” he said during a press conference on Thursday.

“Creating hysteria when there may not be a prospect of transmission is what we want to avoid.”

Horgan’s comments come after the BC Liberal Party sent a letter to health minister Adrian Dix recently, calling for increased transparency concerning the public reporting of COVID-19 data in BC.

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In the letter, BC Liberal MLAs Merrifield and Jackie Tegart called on the Minister to increase public reporting of COVID-19 data, including daily updates on vaccinations delivered and administered in each health authority and detailed daily case breakdowns for schools, long-term care homes and assisted living facilities.

For his part, though, Horgan said on Thursday that his approach is guided by legislation in many cases, as well as “good public health practices.”