Reason to be concerned about Americans

Re: “I just moved here and have U.S. plates: Stop looking for COVID scapegoats,” comment, July 8.

I agree it’s not fair to lump all Americans together as scofflaws. It is always better to wait for the facts before jumping to conclusions, especially in a crisis when emotions are running high.

On the other hand, let’s not lose sight of the reasons for concern. There have been reports of Americans ignoring our rules and coming to B.C. for vacations, or exploiting the Alaska loophole and making extended stops along the way. All while the U.S. is a hotbed of COVID-19 transmission.

The measures we have taken in B.C. have been reasonably successful in controlling the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, not all Americans support our approach. A significant portion of people in the U.S. seem to believe that they have a constitutional right to share with others any virus they have picked up.

Collectively, British Columbians have made sacrifices intended to avoid the spread of the virus. We do not wish to risk emulating the U.S. experience.

The best answer may be to issue a sticker that can be attached to a vehicle confirming that the owner is in Canada legally, and has observed proper safeguards relating to the spread of the virus.

David Lyon Saanich