Don't come to Kelowna unless you're vaccinated, mayor says amid COVID-19 outbreak
As the mayor of a destination city during peak tourist season, Colin Basran is sharing a message he thought he'd never have to: Stay away from Kelowna.
"For the first time ever, I'm telling people to stay away from our city if they aren't vaccinated," Basran said Thursday.
That's also the message in surrounding cities as the Central Okanagan, a tourist destination that normally sees visitors from around the province and other parts of Canada, deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Dr. Bonnie Henry said the same: People who aren't fully vaccinated should not be travelling to Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland or Lake Country.
In a statement, Tourism Kelowna said it supported the move. For those planning travel to the region, president Lisanne Ballantyne recommended calling ahead and getting official information. "We can still safely enjoy summer if we do the right thing, remain patient, and be kind to each other," the statement said.
Interior Health said many of the cases are linked to parties and to the service industry, where staff often work at multiple businesses. As of July 29, the health authority said about a dozen wineries, restaurants and bars had voluntarily closed. No business was forced to close.
The biggest change in the Central Okanagan is the return of a mask mandate requiring everyone 12 and older to cover up in indoor public spaces. Outside, masks are recommended.
Health official noted extreme heat and poor air quality can force people indoors, and when a large number of people aren't fully vaccinated, it's a breeding ground for the highly contagious Delta variant. Outbreak protocols will remain in place until transmission rates go down and immunizations go up.
Ninety seven per cent of recent cases were in those not fully vaccinated.
That's why the Kelowna mayor has another message for those who have yet to seek out shots.
"Stop putting your health, other people's health and people's ability to make a living in jeopardy," Basran said. "Because that's what you're doing."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.