B.C. lifts health-care mask rules as province emerges from pandemic, Dr. Bonnie Henry says

B.C. health officials are ending mask mandates in health-care settings and proof of vaccination for visitors to care homes as the COVID-19 pandemic loses steam after three long, gruelling years.

There will be no restrictions on visitors to long-term care, assisted living or health-care facilities.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the scaling back of restrictions in a joint statement Thursday, the same day weekly COVID numbers for B.C. are released.

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths linked to COVID-19 have been mostly stable in recent months, and the toll of other respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV is on the wane after a “challenging” fall and winter season that put a continued strain on B.C.’s health-care system and workers, said Henry.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone, and the people of British Columbia have shown incredible resilience and dedication in their efforts to combat the virus,” said the statement.