B.C. health officials expanded their workplace guidance for restaurants and food services June 12, as detected COVID-19 cases continued at a low pace in the province’s restart plan.
The 16 new positive tests reported in the province in the previous day bring the total active cases to 187, with 2,354 people recovered. There was one additional death in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, bringing the total for B.C. to 168 pandemic-related deaths.
In a statement, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that WorkSafeBC has added additional guidance for restaurants, after Henry’s public health order removed the requirement to have maximum 50 per cent capacity. Distance guidelines are in place as pubs and restaurants modify their space and add outdoor patio space where they can.
“The requirements for this sector have been adjusted in response to small clusters of new cases in businesses, as employees spend more time together and in recognition that a safe number of patrons is highly dependent on the amount of space within each location, not the restaurant capacity,” Dix and Henry said. “Plans need to include such things as frequent hand-washing, increased cleaning, using barriers in kitchens and dining areas, and giving lots of space between tables.”
The situation in senior homes remained stable, with no new outbreaks and five assisted-living and long-term care facilities with active outbreak measures in place.
@tomfletcherbc
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
