A COVID-19 Message to OBGH Constituents

I continue to closely monitor the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic. I follow and I urge you to follow the advice of British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It is critical that we follow credible advice from trusted sources and not fall victim to rumours and inaccurate information. Our BC Health Minister and Provincial Health Officer are doing an exemplary job of keeping the public informed during this public health crisis and I am very grateful for their steady leadership.

While COVID-19 is particularly serious to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, millennials are also at risk. In a recent study of 2143 pediatric COVID-19 patients in China, it was also noted that:

“Children at all ages were sensitive to COVID-19, and there was no significant gender difference. Clinical manifestations of children’s COVID-19 cases were less severe than those of adults’ patients.”

and that

“of the 2143 pediatric patients included in this study, only one child died and most cases were mild, with much fewer severe and critical cases (5.9%) than adult patients (18.5%).“

So COVID-19 represents a broad, population wide, health risk.

If you are interested in tracking the global advance of the pandemic, Johns Hopkins University has put together an interactive map of the global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular note in their analysis is the extent to which the Chinese efforts have controlled the spread of the disease outbreak locally. This shows that the actions imposed by our public health officers work and so it is imperative we listen to and follow their advice.

Constituency office

As a result of the coronavirus, the Oak Bay-Gordon Head constituency office at 219-3930 Shelbourne St. will not be open to the public, but we will continue to provide service to constituents and encourage you to contact us if needed. Please contact us by email at andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca or by phone at (250) 472-8528. We have taken the step of closing the constituency office for face-to-face meetings to minimize risk to everyone. This is part of social distancing which is so important to reduce the risk of infection.

With the situation changing daily and the constant flood of information about coronavirus, it can be difficult to keep track of the latest public health guidelines and recommendations. While this information may quickly become outdated, this blog post highlights the individual steps that we can all take right now to do our part to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in British Columbia.

Social distancing & personal hygiene

The corona virus spreads very quickly. Without the necessary public health interventions, a relatively small number of cases could quickly turn into an unmanageably large number them. The Washington Post has provides further insight to illustrate how this transmission occurs and can be avoided. We can all take important steps right now to slow the spread of the disease. We slow it down through social distancing and meticulous personal hygiene.

Social Distancing

Social distancing involves taking measures to avoid close personal contact with others where the virus can be spread. As a result, many facilities we are accustomed to regularly using, such as restaurants, bars, recreation centers, and retail outlets, are now closing. Although those actively experiencing symptoms are more likely to be spreading the virus, it can take up to 14 days for symptoms to emerge and the virus can be spread to others during this time.

The public health authorities highly recommend taking the following steps:

• Work remotely where possible
• Wash your hands frequently
• Keep at least one meter between yourself and others
• If you are you are experiencing what could be COVID-19 symptoms – including a fever, cough, sneezing, sore throat, or difficulty breathing – you must self-isolate for 14 days.

Self-Isolation means:

• Not leaving home unless completely necessary
• Not using public transport or go to school, work, or other public areas
• Making arrangements to ensure that you’re able to get the groceries and supplies you need
• Staying in a separate room and use a separate bathroom from others in your home, if possible
• Keeping two meters between yourself and others if you need to be in contact with them
• Avoiding contact with pets who could spread the virus to others in your household

Personal Hygiene

Beyond just social distancing, the other thing we can all do to prevent the spread of the virus is to practice excellent personal hygiene both at work and at home. This means:

• Washing your hands far more frequently than you are accustomed. Wash them for at least 20 seconds, and dry them with disposable paper towels or reusable paper towels.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Coughing into your elbow rather than your hands
• Cleaning and disinfecting common surfaces at least once a day

The ultimate goal of these measures is twofold. The first is to protect vulnerable populations (i.e. the elderly and those who are immunocompromised) from contracting the virus. These demographic groups are far more likely to become seriously ill or die from COVD-19. The second is to prevent our healthcare system from becoming so overwhelmed by the virus that it loses its ability to effectively respond. We need to ensure that our healthcare system has the resources, personnel, and capacity to treat those who require hospitalization or become critically ill.

This graphic from the Washington Post illustrates helps to illustrate how social distancing or the lack of social distancing impacts public health outcomes. We’re social creatures by nature and it can be difficult to let go of old habits and practices. Following the advice of experts and public health officials now, to socially distance ourselves and maintain excellent personal hygiene, the situation will be made more manageable for those on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Maintain social connections & offering help to those who need it

With the rise of social distancing, the normal activities that enrich people’s lives may be increasingly suspended. From playing soccer at a local park to meeting friends at a local pub to going out to a movie, the kinds of activities that have become integral to our social routines will be temporarily disrupted. With the coronavirus bringing a certain degree of social disruption to our lives, it is vital that we work to maintain our social connections.

Social distancing does not have to mean complete social isolation. Make sure that you keep phoning and virtually communicating with friends and family. Reach out to those people who will be spending more time indoors such as the elderly or those with underlying health conditions. Arrange to go for a walk with a friend (keeping one metre apart). Instead of passively consuming content on social media platforms or streaming services, use the digital tools we have at our disposal (computers and telephone) to connect with others. While virtual community does not completely replace close in-person communities, we need to be ready to conduct our more usual activates using the internet or phone lines. People are already conducting activities in virtual space which they would normally have undertaken in person. People are creating yoga classes, church services, and dinner parties online. Taking steps to maintain our social connections will help to keep some semblance of normalcy in abnormal times. It prevents us from feeling apart even if we are physically part.

Community Effort Required

Getting through the coronavirus pandemic will require a community wide effort to step up and help those who require assistance. Those in self-isolation will need others to help them obtain food, medication, and basic household supplies. Healthcare workers and their families will be going through a stressful time in which we ask a great deal from them. If you know any of these people, consider asking how you can help them. One phone call or conversation can make a huge difference in people’s lives.

For nearly all of us, this will be the first large scale public health crisis that we have experienced. Accounts of the Spanish flu are found in history books. More recently, the world managed to avoid the worst with SARs and H1N1. Modern society is now in uncharted territory, it can be easy to give in to panic, hysteria, and misinformation. Now, more than ever, we need to heed the advice of experts, make individual sacrifices for collective benefit, and extend solidarity to those in need. I am incredibly grateful to all the public health workers on the front lines who are working around the clock to keep us all safe. They should be lauded for their efforts and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. Stay informed, stay safe, and reach out to those require help.

Self-assessment tool for Covid-19

For many of us, it may be difficult to determine whether we have contracted COVID-19. To help determine whether you need further assessment or testing the province has created a self-assessment tool which you can complete for yourself or on behalf of someone else.

For more information on COVID-19 please visit:

1. Island Health updates: https://www.islandhealth.ca/news/news-releases
2. BC Centre for Disease Control: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19
3. BC Government News website: https://news.gov.bc.ca/
4.  Government of Canada Public Health Agency: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html
5. BC Hydro COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program: https://www.bchydro.com/news/conservation/2020/covid-19-updates.html

If you believe you may have symptoms of COVID-19, or may have been exposed, please call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line for further instruction. For the deaf and hard of hearing, call 7-1-1 to arrange for safe testing.

In an effort to ease the burden on HealthLink 811, B.C. has set up a dedicated COVID-19 line at 1-888-COVID19 or text at 1-888-268-4319.