Victoria, BC (WNEWS BREAKING) – The province is allowing gyms to reopen January 20 with capacity limits.
The B.C. government will be extending current events and gatherings restrictions until February 16. This includes 50% capacity, closures of bars and nightclubs.
The Government is looking to extend the vaccines passports beyond the January 31, 2022 date.
Henry says there are still conversations of where it could be used. The hope was it would be gone January 31, but that is not going to be the case.
The province is looking at extending the vaccine card formally. It is unclear on for how long. No decisions made on whether things will be excluded or whether it will be expanded.
The Province does not expect to make a third dose need for fully vaccination for the B.C. Card.
COVID-19 safety plan order remains in place. All businesses operating must have one. There are no changes to the vaccine card.
Gyms and Group Fitness to Reopen January 20
Gyms can gradually re-open on January 20. They will allowed to resume individual and group fitness. There are space limits in the facilities.
The new restrictions includes:
• 7 square metres of space between workout machines or people in a group class
• A maximum capacity of 25 people for all group exercise and fitness classes if space allows
• Masks worn at all times, except when actively exercising (though still strongly encouraged)
• Pre-bookings for drop-in individual fitness and time between classes where possible
Gyms and fitness centres will be allowed to re-open. There will be capacity limits and vaccine card.
The spacing requirements will apply to both group fitness and people working out alone.
No fans or heaters are allowed to increase temperature in the room. There should be pre-bookings.
Masks must be worn at all time except when exercising.
Dr. Bonnie Henry says she wants to thank the gym operators. “They did what we asked to protect their workers and gym community.”
The original notice for closures was put in place on December 22, 2021.
This comes as some gym owners in the province has defied  Government’s orders and reopened earlier on Tuesday with Operation Green Light.
Dr. Henry says public pressure did not contribute to her changing the policies around gyms.
Says the gym demographic there was a lot of transmission in December.
Other restrictions including the closures of Bars and Nightclubs, capacity limits of 50% are expected to be extended to February 16 when they will be re-look.
854 People in Hospital with COVID-19
The province reported that 854 people are in hospital with COVID with 112 in ICU.
In total there is a capacity of 9,229 base beds in BC hospitals. There are 8,778 people in those beds for various reasons.
From January 10 to 16, 17,958 health care workers across B.C. called in sick. This is less than the sick calls from the week before which has been updated to 19,976 people called in sick.
Across B.C. 4,322 surgeries were completed from Dec 19 to Dec 25.
January 9 to 15, 791 non urgent surgeries were postponed. This is compared to the 3,000 surgeries cancelled in the weeks of April 2020.
Update at 3:50 pm: We removed the information on extension of vaccination passport due to incorrect information given. The Government is looking into extending the vaccines passports beyond the January 31 date.