Visitors to B.C. ski resorts bring contagion with them

I live in a little town in B.C. with a giant ski hill: Revelstoke. Our little town has a little hospital with 13 acute care beds. They’re generally running at full capacity. One respirator. Two ambulances. From Jan. 1 to Nov. 1, 2020, we had three local COVID-19 cases. They arrived in town from visiting skiers, in March 2020. Those were the only cases we had all summer and fall, until the new winter season arrived.

Now we’ve had more than 130 cases.

A high school student and part-time waiter contracted COVID-19 from an out-of-town winter recreationalist. Unknowingly, that bug was shared with six of that student’s friends. One of those students passed it onto their grandparents. The 72-year-old grandfather faltered, and was taken 150 kilometres away to a better equipped hospital. Sadly, and all alone, he succumbed to COVID-19.

Next door to us, a Toronto couple owns a home. It remains vacant most of the year. . But they were here this year, to ski. They rent out a coach house over their garage to the world. This year, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta license plates are in the driveway, 10 feet from ours.

COVID-19 is everyone’s responsibility. Coming here, this year, is insanely selfish and irresponsible.

The residents in Revelstoke, Golden, Fernie, Kelowna, Whistler and so on might not be screaming in your face, on the ski hill or or at the gas pumps, but they’re not happy you’re here.

Most of us just want to survive this year. I’m hoping it will one day be safe to visit my now 87-year-old parents, and my 80-somethingyear-old aunts and uncles.

But not until it’s safe for me, my parents and my family, and safe for anyone that would come in close contact anywhere near me.

Brian Tobin, Revelstoke, B.C.