BC health officials have announced a new mandate requiring all businesses to have COVID-19 safety plans.
The announcement was made by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry at a press conference on Friday morning.
Plans could include safety barriers and practices that reduce crowding at businesses.
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The move takes BC back to the early days of the pandemic when a similar mandate was introduced for business owners.
Henry noted that WorkSafeBC would be ensuring that businesses comply with the mandate.
Outside of barriers and reducing crowds, businesses will also be encouraged to tell employees to stay home if they are ill and accommodate working from home to reduce the mixing of staff.
“These are the plans that saw us through up to now,” said Henry.
“These helped us get through the last number of waves, and they will help us get through this one too.”
Henry also suggested that the mandate would help businesses cope with COVID-19, as many are expected to lose a significant portion of staff to illness thanks to Omicron.
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