Summerland residents need to work together and follow the directives to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Toni Boot said.
“Please follow the social distancing,” she said. “Stay at home, keep your kids at home. If you are able to work from home, work from home.”
Boot’s comments echo statements made by others, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia’s provincial health officer.
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“Like we do inside, we need to go outside with our close family, with our small groups,” Henry said during a provincial briefing on Friday. “We’re not to be outside in groups. We’re not to be out playing basketball. We’re not to be out sitting together in large groups on the beach, watching the beautiful sunsets that we have.”
Boot said while COVID-19 can affect people of all ages, its effects tend to be more severe among the elderly.
She said most people in Summerland — but not all — have been good about respecting and following the directives to slow the spread of the pandemic.
She added that a strong message is needed to tell parents and children to observe social distancing at playgrounds in municipal parks. While Summerland’s parks remain open, municipal staff have posted information signs urging people to observe distances in order to limit possible exposure to the virus.
Likewise, the Summerland Skatepark remains open, but Boot urges children and teens at the park not to be clustered too close to each other.
While the virus continues to spread and while public interactions have been limited, Boot urges people to support each other during this time.
“Be kind, be mindful, think of your friends and neighbours,” she said. “Above all, don’t panic.”
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