Post-secondary town hall with Dr. Bonnie Henry and Dr. Reka Gustafson

A virtual town hall took place Feb. 9 with representatives from the Office of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and BC’s COVID-19 immunization program to discuss current public health guidance for BC’s post-secondary institutions. Attendees included leaders representing student governments, unions and universities.

The topics discussed included:

• Transmission dynamics of the Omicron variant and low risk of transmission in structured post-secondary settings where vaccination levels are very high
• Importance of wearing a mask that fits well and can be worn for long periods
• Importance of staying home when sick
• Equal access to education vs. vaccine mandates
• Importance of in-person education and social interaction for young people’s mental health
• How public health data is used to monitor and adjust health and safety measures in different settings
• Advice for those who are immunocompromised
• Availability of new treatments for COVID-19
• Importance of vaccination and taking other safety measures to limit transmission: e.g. wearing a mask, washing hands