An anniversary date that few imagined would last this long

The British Columbia Government made for a mark of some note yesterday, issuing their 26th notice of a Provincial State of Emergency, marking  a full year of emergency measures in response the the COVID pandemic. 

The First notice was issued on March 18th and eight days later, much of the lives of British Columbians would change, with an expanding list of measures put in place as the full scope of the COVID-19 situation raised alarms and required immediate attention.

“British Columbians have been living with the challenges of COVID-19 for more than a year, and while our lives have changed, our resolve has not. This is a sobering occasion, but with vaccinations ongoing in B.C., it’s also one for hope and optimism. Let’s continue to follow public health orders and advice to ensure we can be healthy and safe as we look forward to better days ahead.” --  Premier John Horgan

The extension  yesterday of the provincial state of emergency was based on recommendations from B.C.’s health and emergency management officials. The original declaration of one year ago coming the day after Doctor BonnierHenry declared a public health emergency.

Tuesday, the Solicitor General noted of the challenges that British Columbians have faced, but also offered a reminder that our work is not done yet and if we break the rules, consequences will follow.

“Although this has been a challenging year, the best is still before us. If we continue to focus on keeping ourselves and our communities safe by following the orders and restrictions in place, we will end this state of emergency. I want to thank the majority of people in B.C. who are following the rules. For those who don’t, our compliance and enforcement officers have the tools they need to enforce the orders. Know that if you break the rules, you will face consequences.”

Some background on the year of Emergency Measures and a review of the orders still in place can be explored further here.