In announcing 761 cases of COVID-19, B.C.’s top doctor is extending the current orders on social gatherings, adult sports, events, and non-essential travel that were to expire on Friday to Feb. 5.

“Now is our time to stay the course,” says Dr. Bonnie Henry, noting it is not the time to ease restrictions as the province’s COVID-19 curve is trending upwards.

“If further action is required we will take that.”

Henry says these restrictions – which also limits in-person religious gatherings but has some exceptions for fitness classes and some meetings – will allow schools and the healthcare system to stay open.

“We know that transmission is less likely to occur in these controlled environments,” she noted, saying it is what people doing outside of these spaces that is the concern.

Funerals, weddings and baptisms can still be held with a maximum of 10 people attending, but no receptions are permitted.

She notes there are brighter days ahead referring to the ongoing vaccination roll out and days getting longer as spring approaches, but cautions that COVID-19 doesn’t know or care that people haven’t seen their friends or families for months.

“The number of new cases we are seeing in every health region shows us that some people made the decision to make an exception for themselves,” Henry said. “It may seem inconsequential but if a few people in every town, village in our province, makes small concessions for ourselves, that increases all of our risks exponentially.”

Health Minister Adrian Dix too says the extension of the order is clearly necessary, given what we’re seeing across the province.

The latest data from the BC Centre for Disease Control shows 68 cases reported in the Kamloops area during the week of Dec. 27 to Jan. 2 – the largest weekly total for the area since the pandemic began.

More details on what is and isn’t allowed can be found online here.