Vancouver/Victoria- Provincial Court Chief Judge Gillespie has issued two updates on Friday, both effective Monday, November 9.
· NP 22 In-Person Proceedings During COVID-19: Health and Safety Protocols which revises #4 on p. 4 regarding the wearing of masks in courthouses and courtrooms.
· NEW Announcement – Face Masks in British Columbia Courthouses jointly issued with Chief Justice Bauman, and Chief Justice Hinkson encourages people attending courthouses in British Columbia to wear face masks, including in entrances, waiting areas, registries, hallways, stairways, restrooms and elevators.
The ruling also notes in part: Counsel and self represented parties must be in a position to confirm at the opening of a proceeding, and at the start of each day of the proceeding,that to their knowledge, no one involved on their side (including counsel, the party, the accused or witnesses) has any symptoms of illness that may be related to COVID-19. As of the date of this Notice, the BC Centre for Disease Control website advises that the symptoms of COVID-19 can include the following:
a.fever
b.chills
c.cough or worsening chronic cough
d.shortness of breath
e.sore throat
f.runny nose
g.loss of sense of smell or taste
h.headache
i.muscle aches
j.fatigue
k.loss of appetite
l.nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
While less common, symptoms can also include stuffy nose, conjunctivitis (pink eye), dizziness, confusion, abdominal pain, skin rashes, or discoloration of fingers or toes.Counsel and self represented parties must also be in a position to confirm that to their knowledge, no one involved on their side traveled outside Canada within 14 days of their anticipated in person appearance in a courtroom.
