Large events 'not likely' to happen in B.C. this year, even as vaccine rollout speeds up: Henry

The province’s top health official said that there likely won’t be any large events, even outdoors, this year.

At a Monday (May 3) press conference, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said “there will not be big events, where there’s lots of crowds of people this summer.”

Henry’s words came the same day as one of B.C.’s biggest fireworks shows, the Celebration of Light, cancelled its shows for the second year in a row.

Henry said the province will be watching the U.K., where more than 34 million people have received a vaccine, for guidance in terms of events.

“I can say there is not likely to be big events of any sort, even outdoors, through this summer and into the fall or winter of next year,” Henry said.

However, Henry said that sped up vaccine deliveries – with one million doses of Pfizer alone expected in May – could allow for some celebrations this summer.

“We’re in a whole different world now,” she said.

“I can see many situations where we can have smaller, distanced outdoor events this summer, perhaps hundreds of people.”