COVID-19: Frustration that Kelowna’s rink to stay at 50% capacity while others get full house
Until there’s a last-minute change of plans, the Kelowna Rockets gained’t be allowed to fill the stands subsequent week.
The province introduced Tuesday that it was lifting the 50 per cent capability restriction for hockey video games and different indoor organized occasions as of Oct. 25 all through a lot of B.C., however not Inside Well being or components of Northern well being.
Inside Well being communications employees stated in an electronic mail that they count on to have an replace on the standing of restrictions in IH on Friday, however whether or not there might be a change stays to be seen.
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“The irritating factor for me is that we have been going past the federal government’s suggestion with guidelines for capability and everyone having to indicate their vaccination playing cards a month earlier than the province was,” Bruce Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets president and normal supervisor, stated.
“Now we have had no issues… I don’t perceive why we will’t be the identical as Vancouver or Victoria.”
Additionally, Hamilton identified that COVID-19 case numbers have continued to fall for weeks within the Central Okanagan.
Knowledge from the BC CDC signifies that within the week spanning Oct. 3 to Oct. 9, there have been 186 COVID-19 circumstances reported within the Central Okanagan. That’s a discount of 16 per cent from the week earlier when there have been 223 circumstances reported. It’s additionally 61 per cent fewer circumstances than the primary week of September when the better Kelowna space noticed 478 circumstances.
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“From our perspective, we’re attempting to work to search out out why,” he stated.
“Inside Well being was nice to work with after we had our hub, we did every part they requested us to do. And now we would like a chance to get our enterprise again and get {the handcuffs} off, safely.”
Hamilton identified {that a} vital variety of the Rockets clientele are seniors, so making certain their security is a paramount concern and within the 4 video games they’ve already held, there have been no issues.
So, he stated, this has been shocking and disadvantageous to the general downtown enterprise neighborhood.
“March 11, two years in the past, we have been shut down and we by no means had an opportunity of opening till now,” he stated, including that casinos have been in an identical place.
“We need to get again to working and succeed and produce one thing again to the neighborhood. For lots of people, that is their social life, and it helps the restaurant business and downtown companies 34 instances a yr.”
For areas like Vancouver, the place restrictions have been lifted beginning Oct. 25, capability limits will finish for indoor sporting occasions, indoor live shows, theatres, film theatres, dance and symphony occasions, and indoor organized occasions and gatherings. Organized occasions embrace wedding ceremony receptions, organized events and conferences.
“You go in and expertise in the way in which that’s most secure for everybody. I’m assured this might be a measure that won’t enhance danger and we are going to monitor it over time,” provincial well being officer Dr. Bonnie Henry stated.
The indoor masks requirement will stay in impact in any respect venues.
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