Watch: New COVID-19 restrictions for BC expected to be announced today

Dec 17 2021, 4:25 pm

BC’s provincial health officials are holding a news conference Friday afternoon where they’re expected to announce new restrictions to combat the spread of the Omicron variant.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix are scheduled to speak at 1 pm on December 17.

You can also watch the full announcement on Facebook and Twitter.

Dix hinted that more restrictions were coming during a media availability Wednesday.

“Dr. Henry will be reviewing, and is reviewing actively, any changes to public health orders that will be required in the coming days to address the increase in case counts,” he said.

When a reporter asked him specifically if new public health measures would be announced, Dix replied in the affirmative.

“So I think the I think the answer, the pointy answer, to you is yes,” he said.

Other governments around Canada have also announced new Omicron-related restrictions this week. Ontario re-introduced capacity limits at concerts and sports events, and the federal government brought back its blanket advisory against non-essential travel.

BC announced its highest COVID-19 case count since October on Thursday, with 753 new infections. Case counts are also spiking in other Canadian provinces, with Ontario reporting more than 3,000 and Quebec logging nearly 4,000 — that province’s highest-ever total.

Megan DevlinMegan Devlin

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