What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Dec. 31 - CBC.ca

THE LATEST:

Health officials to provide update on COVID-19 numbers at 3 p.m. PT.
Sale of alcohol in restaurants, bars and retail stores is ordered to stop at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and can resume at 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
There were 485 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. on Wednesday and 11 more deaths.
379 people are in hospital, with 77 in intensive care.
A total of 14,027 people in B.C. have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine so far.
Moderna vaccine doses have arrived in 10 isolated B.C. communities.

In a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the last night of the year, B.C. health officials have ordered restaurants, bars and retail locations to stop selling alcohol at 8 p.m. PT on New Year’s Eve.

Liquor sales can resume as of 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix held a last-minute teleconference on Wednesday to announce the order and urge B.C. residents to stick to their households as they usher in the new year.

Current restrictions on social gatherings and events are in effect until Jan. 8, meaning rules must be followed on New Year’s Eve.

On Wednesday, B.C. recorded 485 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths.

There are currently 7,551 active cases in the province, of which 379 people are in hospital, including 77 who are in intensive care.

Also on Wednesday, Interior Health confirmed the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the community cluster at Big White ski resort had risen to 111.

Fewer people getting tested over holidays

B.C. has seen a downward trend in cases seen since restrictions on events and social gatherings took effect across the province late last month.

However, officials suspect that a lower number of tests completed over the holidays might be driving lower case counts in the last week.

Meanwhile, Henry confirmed on Wednesday that vaccines produced by Moderna have arrived in 10 isolated and high-risk areas in B.C.

There are also two new health-care outbreaks, at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Langley Memorial Hospital long-term care.

Mandatory negative test needed to travel to Canada

The federal government announced Wednesday that air passengers entering Canada will soon need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before arriving in the country.

Under the new protocol, travellers must receive a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within a 72-hour period prior to boarding a plane. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said he expects the new rule will be in force within a week.

The measure does not replace the federal government’s mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

READ MORE:

A 24-year-old Vancouver man spent Christmas night in jail after repeatedly hosting parties that violated COVID-19 public health orders.
A British Columbia mom who gave birth while in an induced coma because of COVID-19 says she was released from hospital just in time to spend Christmas at home with her family, and calls the experience “surreal.”
Some members of B.C.’s hospitality industry say stopping liquor sales after 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve is an unfair last-minute blow to bars and restaurants.

What’s happening elsewhere in Canada

On Wednesday, Canada’s COVID-19 death toll hit 15,472, according to the Health Canada dashboard.

As of 8 p.m. PT Wednesday, Canada’s total case count was to 572,982.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

Fever.
Cough.
Tiredness.
Shortness of breath.
Loss of taste or smell.
Headache.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they’re mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911.

What can I do to protect myself?