B.C. is on track to lift more COVID-19 health restrictions on June 15, say health officials

Vancouver -

B.C. is on track to lift more COVID-19 health restrictions on June 15, says deputy provincial health officer Dr. Réka Gustafson.

That's the government's target date for entering Step 2 of its restart plan, which is expected to include opening up travel throughout the province and expanding the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings.

News that the province is on track for to begin its next phase came Monday during a coronavirus update held by Gustafson and Health Minister Adrian Dix.

“The immunization (program) is having the effect that we want it to have,” she said.

“Cases are declining, hospitalizations are declining, critical care admissions are declining, and mortality has remained low and stable throughout this third wave of the pandemic.”

B.C.’s restart plan includes four phases. When health officials released it on May 25, the province began Step 1. Step 2, they said, would only happen if case counts and hospitalizations continued declining.

“All of the indicators are in the direction that we want them to be,” Gustafson said.

When the province enters Step 2, officials said the following activities will be allowed:

• Private outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people
• Private indoor gatherings of up to five people or one household
• Playdates
• Organized seated indoor gatherings of up to 50 people
• Recreational travel through all of B.C.
• High-intensity indoor fitness classes at reduced capacity
• Indoor team sports for all ages, but no spectators
• Up to 50 spectators for outdoor sports
• Continued returning to the office