Regional approach may be "best" for handling rising COVID cases: Horgan

Premier John Horgan says that regional approaches may be best suited for managing the rising COVID-19 cases in British Columbia.

Horgan held a press conference on Monday, addressing the final count for the 2020 provincial election as well as BC’s current response to coronavirus.

“In the last two weeks, we’ve seen a dangerous increase in COVID-19 cases, particularly in the Lower Mainland,” he told reporters. “We need to make sure that we keep essential services functioning, surgeries, schools, and others, operating as safely as possible.”

The premier noted that “all of this is at jeopardy” should case numbers continue to rise. He added that regional measures may be best suited for addressing the spike in cases.

“Focusing on this regional approach, I believe, allows us to refine the practices that we’ve put in place and make sure that they’re appropriate for where we are in the pandemic today.”

Horgan added that what BC is entering is “clearly a second wave.”

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Response efforts will be focused on transferring more inspectors to public health and ensuring that workplace safety plans focus on the safety of patrons, not just employees.

“This is going to be challenging,” Horgan stressed. “No one should be under any illusion based on what’s happening in BC, in Canada, in North America, and around the world, that we’re going to be out of this anytime soon.”

“We’re not designing plans to make life uncomfortable for people; we’re designing them to make life as comfortable as we possibly can.”