Staff at Turtle Bay Pub were exposed to COVID-19, forcing the popular Lake Country spot to close.
The pub closed Tuesday, July 20, to give staff some time to self-monitor and get tested after the exposure, and it will remain closed until July 30, tentatively.
“We have made the difficult decision to temporarily close the pub due to a number of our staff testing positive for COVID-19,” a statement from the pub — a popular destination for Okanagan Rail Trail users.
“The safety of our staff is our top concern, and closing our doors temporarily is the best way we know how of preventing further spread throughout our workplace or into the community.”
The pub also advises anyone who may have been in the establishment recently to watch for symptoms.
“Our understanding is that, given that immunized people can transmit COVID-19 with none or very mild symptoms, it’s very difficult to determine when initial exposure may have occurred. Therefore, anyone in the pub within the last couple of weeks may want to consider self-monitoring.”
The closure was voluntary on behalf of Turtle Bay Pub.
“We have not been asked by Interior Health to shut down or to provide our contact tracing records,” the statement reads. “We simply hope to mitigate any potential risk of spread, and to give our staff some peace of mind.”
Interior Health (IH) continues to record the highest daily cases in the province.
There were 31 cases reported Wednesday, July 21, in IH, compared to 23 in Vancouver Coastal, 21 in Fraser Health, two in Island Health and one in Northern Health.
The region topped the list Tuesday, July 20, as well with 37 new cases — there were 27 in Fraser and nine in Vancouver Coastal.
READ MORE: Interior Health COVID-19 case count highest in B.C.
Meanwhile, the IH is nearing its one-millionth dose of COVID-19 vaccine,
In total, 969,810 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered throughout the health region to date. This includes over 557,598 first doses and 412,212 second doses.
“For anyone who has not had the chance to get immunized, it’s not too late.” IH president and CEO Susan Brown said.
“Whether you schedule an appointment or simply drop-in to any of our immunization clinics, we are continuing to make the vaccine available across the Interior. As the wildfire season intensifies, get immunized sooner rather than later, and protect yourself and your loved ones from illness.”
READ MORE: Mobile vaccination clinic returns to Armstrong
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