BC has received one million surgical masks as the province prepares the health system for COVID-19.
“A shipment of one million surgical masks has arrived as we continue to restock our provincial personal-protection equipment supplies,” according to an update from the BC Government.
The province has also designated 19 major hospitals in BC as a primary COVID-19 facility to deliver care to the most critically ill patients.
BC is also readying for a number of off-site treatment centres, such as the Vancouver Convention Centre, which has a capacity for 270 beds and at the Royal Columbia Hospital, which has a capacity for 80 beds.
BC also announced that it will suspend pay parking for patients, staff and visitors at all parking sites that are owned and operated by health authorities. The change takes place on April 1.
This change makes it easier for individuals to avoid touching screens and buttons at payment kiosks that may have been touched by someone, and will support physical distancing.
BC is at a critical juncture in the fight against COVID-19, said Adrian Dix, the health minister.
He said the province faces two paths in the next two weeks: Either the COVID-19 curve will flatten or the rates of infection will rise even more.
“While we are watching the epi-curve closely, we continue with the active readiness of our health-care system to prepare for the potential of a large spike in COVID-19 cases,” he said.
Dix said the government is doing everything it can to address this challenge, but it needs the support of people.
“Let us be united in this singular purpose: In these next two crucial weeks we must be 100 per cent committed to flattening the curve and lessening the devastating impacts of this virus,” he said.