It's last call for alcohol at Bars and nightclubs across Northern Health as expanded Health measures now include Prince Rupert, Terrace and surrounding communities

The Provincial Health Officer has delivered some new challenges for the bar owners of Northern British Columbia issuing a new measure today that will see bars across the entire Northern Health region close. 

The new Health Order one which will include the Prince Rupert area and other communities that previously had been exempt from the expanded Health Measures introduced earlier this fall.

The Bar and nightclub closure are in effect as of tomorrow and will last until January 31st of the new year. As well restaurants, which will remain open, will be required to cut off their liquor sales as of 10PM.

Also seemingly impacted will be worship services across the Northern Health Authority region.

"The Chief Medical Health Officer in the North has reviewed the restrictions that are in place there, and we've been in a transition period as I've mentioned over the last week and a bit to try and ensure that we are having restrictions that are commensurate with the risk in those areas, as well as the strain on the health care system.

And so Northern Health will be revising their orders one: to have an expiry date of January 31st of 2022, the order will cover all of Northern Health Authority. 

It will include that bars and nightclubs remain closed. Restaurants must continue to end their liquor service at 10 PM 

Given the situation in the north, there is still no In-Person worship services being allowed at this time, although drive in services will be permitted.

Social gatherings at private residences will be for up to 10 people inside, or 25 people outside, if people are fully vaccinated.

Outdoor events with more than 25 people, will have a fifty percent capacity with use of the BC Vaccine card. 

And indoor seated events with greater than ten people will have a fifty percent capacity limit and that includes funerals, weddings, sporting events, theatre, arts and performance events 

And I know some of these were restricted to a much lower number in the past so theses changes will come into effect starting tomorrow as well with the use of the BC Vaccine Card."  -- Doctor Bonnie Henry at today's COVID information session

Some of reasoning behind the decision to expand the health orders to the entire region may be related to a recent surge in COVID reported cases in the Terrace area, which saw a significant jump last week. Though the Prince Rupert region had seen reported cases drop to just one case.

The BC CDC COVID case report map from Nov 14-20

Northern Health has still not updated their guidance for residents of the north through their website or Social Media pages.

**Update**

Revised Public Health Orders for Northern Health now posted here

More on Provincial and Regional restrictions can be reviewed here.

The announcement was part of todays wider information session, which also noted that British Columbia had seen its first case of the Omicron variant which was first noted late last week as a variant of concern.

Today's update also made note of the ongoing vaccination program, and highlighted the introduction of a vaccine program now in place for children ages 5 to 11.

The full information session can be reviewed below, the areas of note for the Northern Health Region can be found at the fifteen minute mark.

More notes on Health Care in the Northwest can be reviewed here.

The latest themes from the provincial response to COVID are available here.