Dr. Bonnie Henry announced new requirements for bars and nightclubs while reminding everyone of the necessity to keep contacts to a minimum.

She made the announcement during a briefing with the Health Minister yesterday stating that people need to keep their contacts to those they know.

She added that in some cases related to the Kelowna gatherings, people had been in contact with people they did not know making contact tracing near impossible. Henry said that 70+ cases have now been linked to events and parties in the Kelowna area over the past several weeks.

The new measures the province is putting in place include:

• All patrons in bars and nightclubs will be required to be seated in assigned seats;
• Alcohol self-service will not be available (that means no ordering from the bar);
• Dance floors can not be used and must remain closed;
• And establishments must take new steps to reduce lineups and choke points.

Dr. Henry also emphasized that groups at restaurants should be limited to six, and customers should not be pushing tables together or engaging in behaviour that puts staff at risk.

About a dozen specific locations in the Okanagan have recently reported either confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 and health officials are now considering tighter and specific requirements in the central Okanagan.

Ironically, a regional approach to setting guidelines was previously dismissed by the Health Minister and Premier.

For further information on this and other COVID protocols, CLICK HERE.