Gym restrictions to ease, other health orders extended

British Columbia’s top doctor will allow gyms and other fitness facilities to reopen this week, but strict COVID-19 safety plans will be required.

The “cautious step” comes as Dr. Bonnie Henry extended all other public health orders to Feb. 16 to help guard against the rapid spread of COVID-19.

“I know how important it is to have physical exercise for our mental health, our emotional health, for people who are in recovery from different injuries,” she said during a Tuesday afternoon media briefing. “With the demographic that we know that are going to gyms on a regular basis, we were seeing a lot of transmission in that age group in December when we needed to look at what restrictions needed to make a difference.”

There has been much dismay among gym owners and users as to the rational behind shuttering the facilities in December.

Henry has repeatedly said the businesses are “amplifiers” of the virus because of the highly socially connected demographic that use them.

A West Kelowna gym co-owner has since become the ringleader of a high-profile protest in defiance of the order. Brian Mark with Iron Energy Gym has galvanized wide ranging support for his cause, culminating in a movement branded as Operation Green Light. He urged gym and other fitness studio owners to partake in mass opposition of the restrictions on Jan. 18 and open for business.

“We can work on our physical and mental health, and we can also make sure our gyms are working safely,” Mark said in a live video feed Monday afternoon on social media.

When gyms do reopen on Jan. 20, strict new rules will govern operation. At least seven-square-metres will need to be between each person exercising. Much of this is based on what was learned during the phased restart of gyms earlier in the pandemic.

Enhanced ventilation is required, and no fans or heaters can be used to warm up the space. Proof of vaccination will continue to be required. Masks must be always worn, except when exercising, though it is heavily encouraged.

Henry said the immense public pressure to reopen gyms did not influence her decision. She instead cited close work with the industry to find a solution.

School Divisions Given Directive

The provincial health officer has also directed school boards to collect information on the vaccination status of their staff.

She said the new order essentially serves two purposes; it gives local medical health officers an idea of which schools may be prone to COVID-19 outbreaks, and to support school districts in requesting the status from staff.

“It enables the school district to make it very clear that it is legal mandate that they are able to ask all staff in that school district to report their vaccination status,” she explained. “That is a really important step in terms of determining if they need to have vaccine mandate.”

On the vaccine front, nearly 37 per cent of those 18-plus and eligible for a booster shot have gotten one.

Despite the rapid rollout of third doses in the province, Henry said she has no plans to change the definition of fully vaccinated.

She also urged anyone who has two doses and became infected with COVID-19 to get a booster shot once they feel better, to prepare for whatever variant comes next.

“We are going to have to be living with some version of a SARS-CoV-2 for the foreseeable future,” she said.

Another Tool to Fight Pandemic

Paxlovid was approved by Health Canada Monday, the first oral anti-viral treatment for COVID-19. It helps prevent more serious illness if given early in the infection. It is for people at the highest risk of contracting the virus and ending up in hospital, according to Henry.

For now, she said the province will receive just 4,000 treatment courses. The pills must be given within five days of symptom onset.

“This is very good news, but it is not going to change the trajectory of our pandemic right now,” she said. “But it is … another tool to help those people who do get sick and are at more risk of ending up in hospital.”

Latest numbers in IH show spike

B.C. reported 1,975 new cases on Tuesday, and 854 hospitalizations, which is an increase of 35 from Monday. There were 112 patients in intensive care, an increase of 13.

Across Interior Health there were 479 new cases for an increase of 119 over the previous day. There was an increase of two hospitalizations at 92, and four more people in critical care at 17.