By Jesse Heinrichs
The City of Kimberley said in a press release on March 16, that they will be putting measures in place to encourage social distancing within the city.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns around Coronavirus (COVID-19), as the number of confirmed cases in Canada has grown to 377.
READ: Civic Centre and Marysville Arena closed until further notice due to COVID-19 concerns
As of the announcement, the Kimberley Aquatic Centre suspended all of their programming, including lessons, fitness classes, and spring camps. The pool will remain open for the time being, however, the hot tub and steam room have both been closed.
“As you are all aware, the situation across Canada regarding COVID-19 is changing very rapidly,” said the city in their press release.
“The City of Kimberley is working very hard to ensure the safety of its employees and residents.”
In addition to the cancelation of programs at the aquatic centre, the city closed both arenas indefinitely on March 13.
The City of Kimberley’s decision came following recommendations from the BC Center for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the Ministry of Health.
Although social distancing is an effective measure for preventing disease, the government of Canada said it can’t stop there.
“Public health measures are usually implemented as combinations of two or more measures, which is sometimes referred to as layered use,” they said in their website.
“The theoretical rationale for layering public health measures is based on the expectation that combinations are likely to be more effective than the partial effectiveness of a single measure,” they said.
Measures like social distancing, and proper washing of the hands, have been recommended by the federal government as a means to slow the curve of infection rate. A slower rate of infection takes pressure off of the public health care workers, and ensures people who need treatment can get it.
