High cases among kids lead to tightened rules in B.C.

Up to 10 per cent of Fraser Valley children are testing positive

VANCOUVER—British Columbia’s provincial health officer announced regional restrictions Tuesday in an area that has seen a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among children as more adults have also become infected due to lower vaccination rates.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said her order pertains to the eastern Fraser Valley towns of Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission and Agassiz-Harrison, where up to 10 per cent of children between

five and 11 have been testing positive for the virus since the start of the school year.

Over 500 children a day are being tested for the virus, up from about 100, Henry said.

“The rates that we’re seeing right now, of COVID-19 per 100,000 population, is going up quite dramatically, particularly in those younger school-aged children who are not yet eligible for vaccination,” she said.

Two children four and under have been hospitalized, and another has needed critical care while one child in each of the older age groups, between five and 11 and 12 and 17, has been in hospital, Henry said.

Private gatherings must now be limited to five additional people or one additional household and 10 people outdoors, unless everyone is vaccinated. Organized events like weddings or conferences will be capped at 10 people, or 50 outside unless everyone is fully vaccinated.

While the province’s vaccine passport requires people to have both doses of a vaccine by Oct. 24 to enter restaurants, gyms and ticketed events, Henry said venues in the eastern Fraser Health regions will have that requirement immediately.

Other measures include limiting outdoor adult sports to 50 per cent of participants, unless all participants are vaccinated. Event organizers must also keep a contact list of guests in addition to having COVID-19 safety plans in place.

Case rates in children were increasing before classes started in both the northern and Interior health authorities, where vaccination rates are also lower compared with other regions including Vancouver coastal and Vancouver Island, she said.

However, Henry acknowledged there have been long waits for COVID-19 tests in the Northern Health region, especially in Prince George, since cases started taking off a few weeks ago.

She said public health officials are trying to address that challenge.

Many among the 500 children being tested daily actually have cold viruses, but anyone with symptoms should be kept at home as the seasonal flu season arrives, Henry said.

However, Henry did not mandate masks for children in kindergarten up to Grade 3 after Vancouver School Board trustees became the first in the province to vote unanimously Monday in favour of requiring face coverings to be worn by younger children.

Premier John Horgan said Tuesday the current “pandemic of the unvaccinated” includes those under 12.

“If you have a friend who’s not vaccinated, encourage them to do so. If you have a family member who’s waiting for more data, tell them to look at those who are pleading with their family members to get vaccinated from ICU beds, not just here in British Columbia but indeed around the world.”