COVID-19

COVID-19: Open Burning Restrictions Issued for Salt Spring Island - March 26th, 2020 - 2:02 PM

Open Burning Restrictions Issued for Salt Spring Island and All High Smoke Sensitivity Zones in British Columbia - As cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in BC continue to increase, the BC Centre for Dis- ease Control recommends implementing measures that help to reduce excess air pollution in populated airsheds across the province. There is strong evidence that exposure to air pollu- tion increases susceptibility to respiratory viral infections by decreasing immune function. This means that: Deterioration in air quality may lead to more COVID-19 infections overall Deterioration in air quality may lead to more cases of severe COVID-19 infections, adding further demand to our healthcare system, and Improvements to air quality may help to protect the whole population from COVID-19 and its potentially severe effects. Evidence suggests that air pollution from combustion sources is most strongly associated with increased risk of viral infection, particularl…

COVID-19: Lady Minto Hospital Medical Staff Association - Current Update - March 26th, 2020 - 1:07 PM

We are in the calm before the storm and it is what we do right now that will determine the severity of the coming storm.

We want to thank all the residents and businesses of Salt Spring who are doing an incredible job of physical distancing and thus literally saving lives. So many people are helping in all sorts of different ways it would be impossible to mention them all, but thank you. Every day we delay the storm is a precious gift to everyone as more protective gear and ventilators are organized and information and treatments are developed.

Today, we’d like to provide some links to more support resources and the latest news on Covid-19 as it relates to our Salt Spring community.

Many people ask how long the virus can live on surfaces. The short answer is, it depends on the surface:

up to 3 days on smooth surfaces such as glass, plastic and metal up to 24 hours on cardboard about 4 hours on c…

COVID-19: BC Ferries Continues to Operate In Service to Communities Along Coastal BC - March 24th, 2020 - 5:27 PM

BC Ferries continues to provide ferry services to connect communities and deliver essential goods to urban centres and more isolated areas such as the Gulf Islands and smaller towns in the northern part of the province. In line with directions provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada and other leading health authorities, BC Ferries is advising customers to avoid non-essential travel at this time. To date, BC Ferries has not been instructed to restrict travel. BC Ferries continues to carry all types of traffic. “None of us should be travelling if it is not essential,” said Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ President and CEO. “We want our customers that need to travel to know that we have taken steps to keep ferry travel as safe as possible. We are asking our customers to adhere to safe practices for their own safety and for the safety of BC Ferries employees.” Enhanced health and safety measures include additional cleaning and disinfecting, allowing and recommending passe…

COVID-19: Letter from MP Elizabeth May to Her Constituents - March 24th, 2020 - 4:59 PM

Hi all, I know all of us like to be social, so social-distancing is a challenge, but please do it! I am keeping our Sidney office staffed, but only one staff person at a time. Please call ahead as we are not taking walk-in meetings. We are dealing with quite a few stranded constituents and trying to get their travel plans sorted. We appreciate your calls and updates, which I relay to key ministers. When we had a lot of calls from people who wanted the U.S.-Canada border closed, I used that for additional pressure as we have been pushing for the border to close. As you know, that is now happening and will take effect Friday night. I have sent emails to all the other elected levels of government, MLAs, mayors, CRD directors, First Nation chiefs and the Islands Trust office in Victoria to maintain contact and share developments in this fluid situation. Meanwhile, all Members of Parliament are offered a daily technical briefing by telephone conference on developments an…

COVID-19: Letter to Constituents from Adam Olsen MLA, Saanich North and the Islands - March 24th, 2020 - 2:02 PM

Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia Provincial Health Officer, and the Minister of Health Adrian Dix, have been exemplary in the handling of this crisis. It’s important that everyone in our community follow their recommendations to help stop the growth of this virus. For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19, please visit http://covid-19.bccdc.ca. As a result of their recommendations we have closed our constituency office to walk-in traffic. Our team is working from home and will be available by email (Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca) and by phone (250-655-5600). We will continue to process casework as usual and advocate on behalf of everyone in Saanich North and the Islands. I’m very concerned for the health and well-being of everyone in our community, especially those who are at the greatest risk and for those whose income or business is affected by the closures. I’m working hard as your MLA to advocate for solutions that meet your needs, especially for those hit harde…

COVID-19: Lady Minto Hospital Medical Staff Association - Current Update - March 24th, 2020 - 1:03 PM

This is a surreal and strange time for all of us. Going for a walk or looking out at the water, everything looks the same as always. However, all over the world including here in BC people are dying, and intensive care units are filling up. We hear that people are losing patience with the social distancing measures which are being asked of you. You may be feeling frustrated by the limitations of not being able to meet with friends, or just don’t feel you are at risk. Please remember that social distancing and hand washing are the only preventive measures that have been proven to work for the pandemic. We are pleading with you to stick with it! The longer people don’t comply with social distancing, the longer we’ll have to do it. On Salt Spring we are in a period of relative calm and we hope it stays this way. Please remember that all of our local Family Doctors offices are open. They are taking phone appointments and will arrange to see those who need to be seen in p…

COVID-19: Harbour Authority of Salt Spring Island - March 23rd, 2020 - 5:19 PM

Information Bulletin regarding changes to the management of the government docks Harbour Authority of Saltspring Island (HASSI) due to COVID-19. The Harbour office, showers and washrooms have been closed to the public for over a week and remains so until further notice. Staff are working on site, please respect public distancing and limit contact to phone and email. In emergency call 911, the Harbour Master at 250 537-7530. For non urgent issues, call office at 250 537-5711 or email at Harbour@HASSI.ca. Docks: essential or emergency only, specifically: Kanaka dock will not re-open to transient visitor moorage at this time. Monthly moorage contracts will be extended. Breakwater dock will be open to essential and emergency vessels only (this includes outer islanders getting supplies). We are in ongoing discussion with the floatplanes. Centennial dock is open to existing monthly contract customers only. Temporary dinghy moorage at Centennial is being relocated t…

COVID-19: Lady Minto Hospital Medical Staff Association - Current Update - March 23rd, 2020 - 1:10 PM

It is clear that cases of COVID 19 are increasing. Whether they grow exponentially or start to decrease, depends on all of us. We now have 39 positive cases in Island Health. Throughout the province there are 33 patients hospitalized with COVID 19 and 14 of these are in intensive care. Our message remains the same as our Provincial Health Officer, Dr Bonnie Henry, and our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau: Please stay at home. Spend time outside but only with members of the same household and always 2 meters away from others. Every day that you and your family stay distanced from others, the better prepared we will be for the coming days and weeks. We must do everything, every day, to protect our community and loved ones. So please go for a walk, get in the garden, go for a bike ride all while adhering to the advice above. Do not meet for coffee or dinner parties. Please do your part. Editorial Note: Read all official, current and ongoing updates on COVID-19 spe…

COVID-19: Southern Gulf Islands Leaders Say Pandemic is Threatening Our Fragile Communities - March 23rd, 2020 - 10:47 AM

The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening our fragile Southern Gulf Island communities. The surge of visitors coming to these islands to seek refuge from the pandemic, are potentially compromising the health and well-being of Gulf Islands residents on Galiano, Mayne, Pender, Salt Spring, Saturna islands, plus many smaller islands in this region. These rural island communities do not have the appropriate services and emergency resources to deal with an extra 100, 200 or 300 more people. Off-island visitors don’t know if they have been exposed to the virus – our islands cannot provide adequate support. “Today our Islands need to focus on the needs of residents, says Gary Holman, Salt Spring Island Electoral Area Director – “We need our Gulf Islands precious medical resources for our most vulnerable, especially for those who are immune compromised.” Dave Howe, Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area Director, representing Galiano, Mayne, Pender, Saturna islands, urges current visito…

COVID-19: Islands Trustees Ask Visitors to Stay Home - March 22, 2020 - 2:34 PM

Islands have a higher percentage of seniors, and limited resources and supplies - Island trustees from across the Gulf and Howe Sound Islands are going public with a plea for people to stay away to minimize the spread of Covid-19 and to reduce pressure on limited island services. Trustees urge islanders to stay home and practice social distancing as recommended by Provincial Health Office Dr. Bonnie Henry. “Now is not the time to be visiting the islands,” said Peter Luckham, Chair of Islands Trust Council. “Most Gulf Islands have a median age of over sixty years old and limited or no medical services. First responders are volunteers who are practicing sheltering in place in order to be available for normal emergencies. We urge everyone to stay home and avoid discretionary travel to and from the islands. As ferry-dependent communities, we are especially vulnerable and face additional challenges. Now is not the time to take a holiday or visit your vacation property.” Many i…

COVID-19: Lady Minto Hospital Medical Staff Association - Current Update - March 22nd, 2020 - 1:07 PM

The physicians of Salt Spring Island are on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19. This crisis is unlike anything we have experienced in our lifetime. We are working flat out to be there for our patients and their families. Doctors cannot do this alone. What the public does now will impact the health of British Columbians in the weeks and months ahead. Lives depend on your actions now. Our province is in a state of emergency. Here is the directive from our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry: Stay home unless absolutely necessary. This means no dinner parties. No shopping. No sports, even outside. Have coffee with a friend online. Keep two metres or six feet away from everyone if you must go out. That’s about the width of a car or the length of two arms stretched out. Wash your hands frequently. Tell your loved ones to do the same. This is especially important for young people. We sometimes see you out in the park or at the beach. You can …

COVID-19: Only Essential Visits Allowed to Island Health Facilities - March 21st, 4:15 PM

Island Health is working in partnership with the Ministry of Health and BC Centre for Disease Control to respond to COVID-19. The situation is evolving quickly and our strategies are evolving to keep people in the communities we serve safe. To support the Provincial Health Officer’s directions around social distancing and protect our residents, patients and staff from the transmission of COVID-19, Island Health has made the difficult decision to allow only essential visits to our facilities. Essential visits will be considered for patients who are: critically ill receiving end-of-life care frail and need an escort or family member for their safety Eligible essential visitors must pass important screening criteria. This means they cannot have a cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat or shortness of breath, and they cannot have travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days. We understand the importance of visits from family and loved ones to our patients a…

COVID-19: Trustee Laura Patrick's Message on COVID-19

Hello Salt Spring! I’m Laura Patrick, your Islands Trust Salt Spring Island trustee. If there was ever a time for your local elected officials to be united and working together, it’s now. Our CRD electoral area director, Gary Holman, knows that he can count on my full support. Everyone on Salt Spring needs to be pro-active and take precautions to help slow down the spread of this virus. That means staying home and practicing appropriate social distancing. Listen to the Provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry. Listen to staff at Lady Minto Hospital. Do what they say. You can find Lady Minto’s and the CRD’s daily information posts on the Salt Spring Exchange and Gulf Island Driftwood websites. I am grateful for the Lady Minto hospital and medical staff on this island who are taking the lead on this public health emergency. I am grateful for the emergency program and response personnel who are prepared to respond to this pandemic. I am grateful to all the i…

COVID-19: Lady Minto Hospital Medical Staff Association - Current Update - March 21st, 2020 - 1:23 PM

We know that you in the community are quite rightly concerned and anxious about COVID-19. Your family physicians have organized ourselves to respond to the situation as it evolves and to provide you with timely and accurate information regarding the novel COVID-19 pandemic currently upon our doorstep. Our goal is to provide information and direction so you may understand your own responsibilities as a member of our community and the greater population during this worldwide outbreak. The Province’s team of public health specialists (the Medical Health Officers) are working hard to support family physicians to have the information that is needed to respond to this pandemic. We want to send out a clear message to you about how local Family Doctor healthcare is changing and explain how you can help our community fare as best it can through what will be a difficult time. We understand many people are frustrated that the Provincial Health Officer and Island Health have not p…

COVID-19: CRD Playgrounds In Parks and Recreation Centres Temporarily Closed

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, the services provided to the general public at the depot at Hartland Landfill are being reduced. Due to increased volume, customers should expect long wait times when trying to access the depot. In order to promote social distancing and reduce staff/customer interaction, the following measures have been put in place: Only two vehicles at a time will have access to the depot Only credit and debit payments will be accepted, no cash No household hazardous waste (including paint, propane bottles and oils) will be accepted No renovation waste will be accepted Hours at this time remain the same, long line ups are expected. Please consider holding off on your visit until after the COVID-19 crisis subsides. Please note, the above is in reference to the public drop off depot. Services provided at the active face are not affected at this time. Alternatively, there are other private garbage drop-off and recycl…

COVID-19: Seair Temporary Suspension of Scheduled Flight Service - March 20th, 2020 - 5:00 PM

The health and safety of our passengers and team members has always been our first priority. After careful consideration, we have made the extremely difficult decision to Temporarily Suspend all Daily Scheduled Flights, effective Sunday March 22, 2020 until Thursday April 30, 2020 and at that time we anticipate resuming daily scheduled flights on Friday May 01, 2020. Our business will remain open and operational for Seaplane Charter Flights only at this time. In this time of uncertainty, we have been following suggested recommendations from the Government and Public Health Agencies for the safety of our passengers and team members. Our scheduled service has remained operational until this time so that we could offer passengers faster means of transportation to get home safely. However, based on recent developments we have concluded that now is the right time to suspend our scheduled flight service. We will be contacting those passengers that have bookings with us between …

COVID-19: Watch Video - Country Grocer Salt Spring - A Safe Place to Shop

At this challenging time, we know you're concerned about your safe health when you go out to shop. We're working hard to regularly clean high touch points and ensure your safe shopping. We thank you for your efforts to adjust to the changes we're putting in place for you and our staff. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Editorial Note: Read all official, current and ongoing updates on COVID-19 specifically related to Salt Spring Island on the Salt Spring Exchange under our News > 'Special Alert: COVID-19' News section.

COVID-19: Lady Minto Hospital Medical Staff Association - Current Update - March 20th, 2020 - 1:00 PM

We would like to say thank you to all those in the community who are doing so many things to help during this challenging time. This includes the grocery stores which are making special hours for seniors; pharmacies which are ensuring we have enough medications; all the restaurants which have moved to take out; all the people who are helping their neighbours with their groceries, and so many more. While it is true that this virus affects the elderly and those whose immune systems are compromised most seriously, it will affect all of us. We must make sure that our healthcare system can continue to provide care to everyone who needs it and not become overwhelmed by patients with COVID-related disease. The best way to do this is to prevent person-to-person infection by maintaining social distancing and staying home if we have symptoms. If you are ill and have mild symptoms, please stay at home and take care of yourself. Contact your family doctor’s office if you need advic…

COVID-19: BC Ferries Suspends Food, Retail and Baggage Services - March 19, 2020 - 6:10 PM

In continued support of social distancing, BC Ferries is suspending all food services onboard our ships and at our terminals effective March 19, 2020 starting at approximately 3:00 pm until further notice, with the exception of our northern routes, which will suspend food services effective March 20, 2020. During the COVID-19 situation, customers have changed their food purchasing habits and are choosing not to buy our grab-and-go items at this time, leading to tremendous food waste. Vending machines are still available. Onboard amenities including Passages Gift Shop, SeaWest Lounge, Kids Zone play area and Video Zone arcade remain closed until further notice. To reduce the spread of infectious disease including COVID-19, baggage service is currently unavailable on our major routes. Our Northern vessels will continue to offer baggage service until further notice. BC Ferries apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. We will continue to monitor the sit…

COVID-19: Lady Minto Hospital Medical Staff Association - Current Update - March 19th, 2020 - 1:00 PM

COVID-19 is in all of our communities including our Gulf Island communities. We are all part of this pandemic. BC and Vancouver Island’s infection rate curves are following that of other countries; we are just a bit behind. We are in the critical period to “flatten the curve” and slow the rate of spread of COVID-19. The most effective tool we have to prevent spread is physical separation. We implore you to maintain social distancing of 6 feet (2 meters) which is the typical distance from fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched. If you have any cold symptoms or are returning from out of the country you must self isolate for 14 days. Many people have questions about testing and we understand this has and continues to be confusing. The World Health Organization says “test, test, test” and yet here in BC we are not offering general access to testing. Following the protocols established by our Medical Health Officer, we are currently only testing healthcare workers, crit…

COVID-19: Salt Spring Island Emergency Program - Updates - March 18, 2020 - 12:45 PM

The Salt Spring Island Emergency Program, along with the CRD Emergency Operation Centre in Victoria held a conference call with major stakeholders on Salt Spring to discuss the ongoing developments around COVID-19 so that we can provide a coordinated response and message. These communications will continue and updates will be provided as warranted. As this is a Public Health Issue, the medical teams of Island Health, our health clinics and health providers and Lady Minto Hospital are providing the lead on this. They were some of the many organizations participating in the call. The Emergency Program is supporting the Health Agencies where we are able. Many people on the island have questions and there has been a significant increase in inquiries. The March 17, 2020 release of the Salt Spring Island GP's and Hospital Medical Staff Association statement says: "With the spread of cases associated with a dental conference in Vancouver in early March, as well as the outbr…