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B.C. records 901 COVID-19 deaths for 2020, 51,983 total cases

Northern Health adds another 36 cases
Jess Balzer
Jess Balzer
dr-bonnie-henry-press-conference
B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. (via Government of B.C.)

The last day of 2020 had sombre news when it comes to COVID-19 in B.C.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry appeared in front of cameras for the last time in 2020 this afternoon (Dec. 31) and announced B.C. had recorded 683 COVID-19 cases in the past day. 

The province's grand total is now 51,983 since the pandemic landed in B.C. in January this year. 

Of the newly announced cases, Northern Health had 36, which brings the recorded total to 2,010 since March of 2020. 

The numbers in the authority will most likely see changes in the next couple of days as officials announced there was an overcount in the region.

There are 7,803 people listed as active for COVID-19 throughout the province, 374 are in hospital with 76 in critical care.

Henry announced there have been another 8 deaths in the past day which brings the death toll to 901.

Another 9,364 are under active public health monitoring after being exposed to someone with the virus. A total of 42,129 have been classified as fully recovered.

Henry has come under intense scrutiny after announcing liquor sales and service must cease at 8 p.m. tonight until 9 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2021 saying the order is to hopefully help reduce the chance of transmission, especially as celebrations occur later in the evening. 

Dr. Henry specifically pointed to people waiting and gathering in areas such as restaurants, watching for midnight, and then gather in larger groups after. She hopes alcohol cut-off being earlier will help discourage behaviours where spread can happen and keep staff safety in mind.

But the news didn't sit well with numerous people in the restaurant and food industry. 

Many said they didn't have an issue with her order; however, they are upset the move was announced last minute, which has caused chaos. 

“We are profoundly disappointed because she has left a trail of disaster by making this decision,” said Ian Tostenson, president/CEO of the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association. “The decision was arbitrary, and the timing of it is terrible because it’s going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars – if not millions. And it was unnecessary.

“Shame on Dr. Henry this time,” he concluded.

Tostenson said that the announcement caught the entire industry by surprise because there was “zero consultation” from the province that this ban was under consideration.

During the news conference, Henry said in response to a question about the last-minute nature of this decision that the NYE alcohol sales ban was actually under consideration “for some time” and that she felt it was something that needed to be done given what she has seen and heard about people’s New Year's celebration plans.

She added the 8 p.m. time was actually decided upon with restaurants in mind.

“I know that many restaurants are planning two sittings, and the second sitting usually happens at around 7 to 7:30 p.m.,” Henry said. “So this does give people the opportunity to order wine with their meals... We tried to time it so that restaurants can have two sittings and provide food service, so we hope it’s not going to impact those restaurants who are doing a great job of keeping people safe.”

That explanation, however, does not fly with Tostenson or B.C.’s restaurant owners.

“In a lot of restaurants, 7:30 p.m. is the first sitting,” Tostenson said, adding that most restaurants have second sittings around 8 p.m. or later – past the newly imposed deadline.

One easy solution, he countered, would have been to set the deadline one hour later at 9 p.m. to cover the vast majority of restaurants’ second sittings – something that restaurant owners would have told Henry and the province if given the chance.

“We have a restaurant downtown that has reservations for 500 people – mostly couples - spread out over two sittings for NYE,” Tostenson said. “The second sitting starts at 8 p.m., and now they are calling guests to get everyone to come in an hour earlier. That won’t work with a lot of guests, so we can see as many as 50% cancelling. If you consider an average of $100 per table – and that’s a pretty light NYE bill – you have just cancelled about $25,000 in sales at just one restaurant.

“If we kept alcohol sales open until 9 p.m., that same restaurant would have been able to retain roughly 80% of their business on that night. That’s how simple it was with just a one-hour difference, but Dr. Henry doesn’t know that because she doesn’t run restaurants. Had we collaborated with Dr. Henry, we would have been able to explain it to her.”

Northern Health is seeing a challenging end to 2020 with a new outbreak at UHNBC and another death at Prince George's Jubilee Lodge. 

The authority confirmed this morning the death is now 11 after the latest death of a resident. 

However, no new cases have been reported since the authority's last update on Tuesday (Dec. 29). 

The total remains at 59 recorded cases involving 48 residents and 11 staff. 

Pre-outbreak, there were approximately 66 total residents living at the facility. 

The precautionary outbreak issued yesterday (Dec. 30) involving the Internal Medicine Unit at UHNBC has now been upgraded. 

Yesterday, Northern Health said two patients and four staff had tested positive for the virus. 

Today (Dec. 31) seven more infections have been reported by the authority, including four patients and three staff members.

The total is now 13 since the outbreak's declaration, broken down among six patients and seven staff.

The authority said there was no evidence of ongoing transmission of COVID within the hospital but enhanced outbreak measures were in place.

"Northern Health Public Health is closely monitoring for additional cases, and the facility continues to take steps to protect the health of staff and those they care for, with enhanced outbreak precautions," a statement issued today (Dec. 31) reads. 

The change in the outbreak status means the timeline for declaring an outbreak will be extended. Measures will stay in place until there have been no forther exposure concerns for 28 days. 

Today, Northern Health also announced five new infections at Coastal GasLink's 7 Mile and Little Rock lodges were detected since Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), bringing the total to 53 since the outbreak was declared on Dec. 19.

The authority adds the number of active cases has shrunk down significantly from 31 to just six, all of whom are still self-isolating at the Burns Lake and Nechako local health-area bases respectively.

As of publication, The full up-to-date list of northern B.C. schools marked for the virus is as follows: 

  • Mountain Christian School (Independent) - Dec. 18, 2020
    • Dec. 18, 2020 = Self-monitoring ends Jan. 1, 2021
  • Cedars Christian School (Independent) Prince George - Dec. 14-16
    • Dec. 14-16 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 30, 2020
  • Bert Ambrose Elementary School (SD60) - Dec. 17-18, 2020
    • Dec. 17-18 = Self-monitoring ends Jan. 1, 2021
  • Sacred Heart Elementary (Diocese of Prince George) - Dec. 10-11, 2020
    • Dec. 10-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
  • Skeena Middle (SD82) - Dec. 1-4, 2020; Dec. 7-11, 2020
    • Dec. 1-4 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
    • Dec. 7-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
  • Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - Dec. 1-4, 2020; Dec. 7-11, 2020
    • Dec. 1-4 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
    • Dec. 7-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
  • Parkside Secondary (SD82) - Dec. 1-4, 2020; Dec. 7-11, 2020
    • Dec. 1-4 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
    • Dec. 7-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
  • Ecole Mountain View Elementary (SD82) - Dec. 1-4, 2020; Dec. 7-11, 2020
    • Dec. 1-4 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
    • Dec. 7-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
  • Smithers Secondary (SD54) - Dec. 11, 2020
    • Dec. 11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25 
  • Margaret Ma Murray Community School (SD60) - Dec. 7-11, 2020; Dec. 14-16, 2020
    • Dec. 7-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25
    • Dec. 14-16 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 30
  • Alwin Holland Elementary (SD60) - Dec. 14-17, 2020
    • Dec. 14-17 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 31
  • North Peace Secondary School (SD60) - Dec. 14-17, 2020
    • Dec. 14-17 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 31
  • Bert Bowes Middle (SD60) - Dec. 14-16, 2020; Dec. 1-4, 2020; Dec. 17-18; Nov. 16, 18-20, 30, 2020
    • Dec. 14-16 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 30, 2020
    • Dec. 17-18 = Self-monitoring ends Jan. 1, 2021
  • Pinewood Elementary (SD57) - Dec. 14-15, 2020; Dec. 14-18, 2020
    • Dec. 14-15 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 29, 2020
    • Dec. 14-18 = Self monitoring ends Jan. 1, 2021
  • Southridge Elementary (SD57) - Dec. 10, 2020
    • Dec. 10 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 24, 2020
  • Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - Dec. 10-11, 2020; Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2020; Dec. 1-2, 2020; Nov. 30, 2020
    • Dec. 10-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25, 2020
  • Heather Park Elementary (SD57) - Dec. 1-2, 3, 4, 7-8, 2020
    • Dec. 11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25, 2020 
  • Westwood Elementary (SD57) - Dec. 9; Dec. 8, 2020
    • Dec. 8 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 22, 2020
    • Dec. 9 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 23, 2020 
  • St. Mary's Catholic School (Diocese of Prince George) - Dec. 8-11, 2020; Dec. 7-10, 2020; Dec. 3-4, 2020; Dec. 1-2, 2020
    • Dec. 7-10 = Self-monitoring ends Dec 24, 2020
    • Dec. 8-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec.25, 2020
  • Mountain View Christian Academy (Independent) - Dec. 8-10, 2020; Dec. 7-8, 2020
    • Dec. 7-8 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 22, 2020
    • Dec. 8-10 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 24, 2020
  • Thornhill Primary School (SD82) - Dec. 4, 7-11, 14-17, 2020
    • Dec. 4, 7-11,14-17 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 31, 2020
  • Walnut Park Elementary (SD54) - Dec. 9-10, 2020; Dec. 13-15, 2020
    • Dec. 9-10 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 24, 2020
    • Dec. 13-15 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 29, 2020
  • Shas Ti-Kelly Road Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 7-11, 2020; Dec. 1-2, 2020; Nov. 30, 2020
    • Dec. 7-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25, 2020
  • College Heights Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 10-11, 2020; Dec. 17-18, 2020
    • Dec. 10-11 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 25, 2020
    • Dec. 17-18 = Self-monitoring ends Jan. 1, 2021
  • D.P. Todd Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 1 and 2, 2020
  • Dawson Creek Secondary - South Peace Campus (SD59) - Dec. 8, 2020; Nov. 16-18, 2020; Sept. 23-25, 2020
    • Dec. 8 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 22, 2020
  • Smithers Secondary (SD54) - Dec. 7 and 10, 2020
    • Dec. 10 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 24, 2020
  • Fort Nelson Secondary (SD81) - Dec. 7, 2020; Oct. 15-16, 2020
  • Skeena Middle (SD82) - Dec. 4 and 7, 2020
  • Ecole Central Elementary (SD60) - Dec. 4, 2020
  • Nak’albun Elementary (Independent) - Dec. 3-4, 2020; Nov. 22-25, 2020; Sept. 16-18, 2020
  • Ecole Central Elementary (SD60) - Dec. 2-3, 2020
  • Suwilaawks Community School - Terrace (SD82) - Dec. 1-2, 3-4, 2020; Nov. 27, 30, 2020
  • Kitwanga Elementary (SD82) - Dec. 1-3, 2020
  • Prince George Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 1-3, 2020; Nov. 18, 2020; Oct. 2, 2020
  • Margaret Ma Murray Community School (SD60) - Dec. 1-4, 2020; Nov. 23-26, 27, 30, 2020
  • Uplands Elementary (SD82) - Dec. 1, 2020; Nov. 30, 2020
  • Fort St. James Secondary (SD91) - Dec. 1, 2020; Nov. 19-20, 20-26, 30, 2020
  • Veritas Catholic School (Diocese of Prince George) - Nov. 30, 2020
  • Anne Roberts Young Elementary (SD60) - Nov. 30, 2020
  • Bert Ambrose Elementary (SD60) - Nov. 30, 2020
  • David Hoy Elementary (SD91) - Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2020; Nov. 25-26, 2020; Sept. 17-18, 2020
  • William Konkin Elementary in Burns Lake (SD91) - Nov. 16, 23-24, 23-27, 2020
  • Energetic Learning Campus in Fort St. John (SD60) - Nov. 16-20, 23-27, 30, 2020
  • Peden Hill Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 12-17, 17-20, 24-27, Nov. 30, 2020
  • Centennial Christian in Terrace (Independent) - Nov. 23-26, 2020; Dec. 14-16, 2020
    • Dec. 14-16 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 29, 2020
  • North Peace Secondary (SD60) - Nov. 10, 12-13, 16, 19-20, 24-26, 2020; Dec. 16-17, 2020
    • Dec. 17-18 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 31, 2020
  • Sacred Heart Elementary (Diocese of Prince George) - Nov. 25-27, 2020
  • Charlie Lake Elementary (SD60) - Nov. 23-24, 16-26, 2020, Dec. 14-18, 2020
    • Dec. 14-18 = Self-monitoring ends Jan. 1, 2021
  • Ecole College Heights Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 19-20, 20-24, 2020
  • Beaverly Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 23-24, 2020
  • Foothills Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 23, 2020
  • Lakes District Secondary (SD91) - Nov. 23, 2020, Dec. 17, 2020
    • Dec. 17 = Self-monitoring ends Dec. 31, 2020
  • Chetwynd Secondary (SD59) - Nov. 13, 2020
  • Van Bien Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 9-10, 2020
  • Ron Brent Elementary (SD57) - Oct. 30, 2020
  • Hudson's Hope Elementary-Junior Secondary (SD60) - Oct. 26-Nov. 4, 2020
  • Immaculate Conception School (Diocese of Prince George) - Oct. 21-23, 2020
  • Roosevelt Park Elementary (SD52) - Oct. 21-22, 2020
  • Notre Dame in Dawson Creek (Private) - Oct. 13-14, 2020
  • Quesnel Junior Secondary (SD28) - Sept. 10-11, 15-18, 2020
  • Ecole Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) - Sept. 10-11, 2020

- with files from Kyle Balzer, PrinceGeorgeMatters, and Chuck Chiang, Business In Vancouver