Vancouver – 24 hours after a number COVID related closures, pauses and slow downs were imposed by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, the current state of emergency has been once again, extended.
The Province of British Columbia has formally extended the provincial state of emergency, allowing health and emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act (EPA) to support the Province’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
The state of emergency is extended through the end of the day on April 13, 2021, to allow staff to take the necessary actions to keep British Columbians safe and manage immediate concerns and COVID-19 outbreaks.
“While the finish line remains in sight, rising case counts and the spread of variants of concern mean we all must continue working together to keep each other safe,” said Premier John Horgan. “Thanks to our vaccination plan, we have been able to take positive strides toward protecting more British Columbians. We’re doing the best we can to get vaccinations into arms as soon as possible, but in the meantime, I urge everyone to double down on their efforts to control the spread and continue to follow public safety guidelines.”
The extension of the provincial state of emergency is based on recommendations from B.C.’s health and emergency management officials. The original declaration was made on March 18, 2020, the day after Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer (PHO), declared a public health emergency.
