With the May long weekend right around the corner, Whistler doctors are reminding the public that B.C. is still in Phase 1 of its four-phase plan to reopen the province.
"Which means that hopefully people are avoiding all non-essential travel," said Dr. Karin Kausky of the Whistler Medical Clinic.
"And then I think for people that need to travel, or are here, that just because you're away from your own community-you're sort of 'on vacation'-I don't think you can take a vacation from your social responsibility to continue to maintain standards and to have minimal impact on other communities."
The messaging from local health officials ahead of the long weekend remains much the same: stay home if you feel sick, even with a minor cold; even without showing symptoms, you can carry and spread the virus.
In short, act in a way that assumes everyone may have COVID-19: stay physically distant, wash your hands, don't touch your face, and wear a mask to protect others.
While wearing a mask is not a public health recommendation, "we think it's important," said Dr. Bruce Mohr, medical director for the Whistler Health Care Centre.
"Because of the high rate of asymptomatic carriage, you wear a mask to protect others, especially when you can't safely physically distance," Mohr said.
"All the retail outlets are trying to help you physically distance, but the reality is you can't always be two metres apart from everyone. So if you wear a mask, it helps you protect them. If everybody did it, we'd protect everybody."
Whistler parks will remain closed to the public until after the May long weekend due to COVID-19, and Whistler Blackcomb (WB) is also closed.
No uphill access is permitted within WB's tenure, and those caught trespassing face the possibility of losing access to the ski area next season as well, said Vail Resorts' West Coast director of communications Marc Riddell.
"Going into the long weekend, the safety messaging is still pretty key, because we can't have people going up there," he said. "It's dangerous for our staff, and obviously we don't want anything to happen to the public while they're up there."
As COVID-19 restrictions relax further starting on May 19, infection numbers are likely to go up, Kausky said.
"We just need to be mindful of that, and we need to not forget that the problem still exists, even though the restrictions are being relaxed," she said.
"We still don't have an effective therapeutic intervention or a vaccine, so we still want to be really mindful of all of the measures we've put in place, like physical distancing, staying home if unwell-we can't forget about those."
And while the first wave of the virus appears to be over, "there's very likely to be a second and third wave-we just don't know when they will be, and how big they will be," Mohr added.
"But if people do respect the measures, hopefully those waves won't be very big."
Easing the restrictions is about "finding that sweet spot," Mohr said-managing a certain burden of illness in the community so that people can start getting back to their lives.
While there are obvious health consequences from the virus, both direct and indirect, "there are a lot of other consequences because people aren't working, and businesses aren't running," Mohr said, pointing to increased use of local social services because of the pandemic.
"If you have the means to do so, you should donate to (the Whistler Community Services Society and the food bank) and support them, because right now they really need it," he said.
"The better that those people are supported, the less the burden it will be on the healthcare system as well, so I think that's a really important point-there's a lot of hurting people out there."
Anyone requiring non-emergent care in Whistler (local or visitor) is asked to contact their family doctor or the virtual walk-in clinic at www.divisionsbc.ca/sea-sky.
Those requiring urgent or emergent medical care locally can call the Whistler Health Care Centre at 604-932-4911. Call 911 for an emergency and 811 for non-emergency advice.
Meanwhile, Tuesday, May 12 marked International Nurses Day.
"There just aren't adequate words to express our appreciation of our nurse colleagues," Kausky said.
"[The last two months have] been pretty exhausting, but working with really inspiring colleagues is what keeps everybody going."
Added Mohr in marking nurses' day: "thank you and we love you."
Read the original article here.
