Word on the street: What do you think of B.C.'s travel restrictions?

Salmon Arm residents offered their thoughts on the travel restrictions put in place by the B.C. government in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

On Friday, April 23, the province released further details about the restrictions, part of a new health order in effect until May 25, that target non-essential travel between three regional zones in the province, using health authority boundaries: the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley (Fraser Health and Coastal Health regions); Vancouver Island (Island Health region); and Northern/Interior (Interior Health and Northern Health regions).

According to the B.C. government website, road signs will be up at the Alberta/B.C. border reminding travellers that all travel at this time must be essential, and people from any province or territory are subject to the same travel restrictions as everyone in B.C. Those who travel to B.C. for essential reasons from another province or territory do not need to self-quarantine when entering the province.

The Salmon Arm Observer asked: What do you think of the travel restrictions?

Joseph Coyne: “It’s a social responsibility to stop the spread of COVID-19. It might be hard for a certain amount of time but if it’s something that needs to be done, I think it’s a good measure…”

James Gibson: “I think they’re good, I think people should travel less and we should try and nip this thing in the bud.”

Dennis Adams: “It’s not affecting us much. But I do feel bad for the tourist industry that’s going to get so bad. Anyway, it has to be I guess.”

Debbie Anderton: “I think it was more so needed with the international flights coming into Canada. It’s been over a year now and something more should have been done at that end.”

Dale Wertz: “People can’t learn to wear a mask in public, so it’s got to happen. Drastic measures need to be taken. That’s just the way it is.”

Loree Mitchell-Banks: “The travel restrictions don’t completely impact me in that I live and work in the same community. However, I know it’s getting tough for families who haven’t seen each other. I have a lot of family in Alberta which we won’t be able to see this May which we were hoping. But I think, to do our part and maybe contribute to controlling the incoming amount of people into our province, I think we need to do what we need to do to get back to where we can see our families.”