Village of Canal Flats News Release
Dear Columbia Ridge residents,
The CRCA Board of Directors are discussing our response to upcoming community events and we will advise you shortly.
As well, we are sharing this news release from the Village of Canal Flats as a reminder that, no matter where we live, it is critical that we all practice physical distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19:
March 22, 2020 NEWS RELEASE: Suspected COVID-19 Case in Canal Flats Prompts Call for Residents to Obey Social Distancing
Canal Flats Mayor Karl Sterzer is issuing an important advisory for residents of Canal Flats after a suspected case of COVID-19 within the small community.
“On March 8th, an event was held at our community centre, with a number of people in attendance. A few days after the event, one person started to feel sick and attended their clinic and self-isolated with what they believed to be the flu. When the symptoms continued to worsen, the family attended the Invermere District Hospital where they were advised late on March 21st that at least one family member likely has COVID-19 and were told to immediately self-quarantine at home. Because they did not require hospitalization, they were not tested,” explains Mayor Sterzer. “The family notified the Village today and we are taking immediate action to get the word out.”
There were several other parties that same day. “Regardless of whether there is a definitive test or not, the need for self-protection measures to stop the potential spread is crucial and the Village is urging all residents in Canal Flats to follow the social distancing orders from the Provincial Medical Health Officer and if any symptoms develop, to immediately self-isolate for the recommended 14 days,” adds Sterzer. “We need to protect everyone in our community, including those who are at higher risk like the elderly and compromised, by taking social distancing seriously.”
A new website established in the Columbia Valley to connect volunteers with people who need deliveries of essentials like groceries and prescriptions has been set up at: https://volunteercv.ca/organizations/columbia-valley-covid-19-community-response. Anyone needing a delivery is encouraged to sign up on this website. In addition, anyone who is able to volunteer to pick up and deliver supplies to doorsteps can also sign up as a volunteer on the same site.
“Canal Flats is resilient. We have seen that time and time again, and I know we will come together as a community to take every measure we can to stop the spread of illness and support one another,” stresses Sterzer. ‘Our focus should not be on who has the virus, but on how we can all stop its spread. We need to remain calm as a community and continue to check in on one another. And we need to do this now more than ever. Everyone should be staying home unless they need to be out. And finally, we need to keep up good hygiene practices while following all the recommendations of the Provincial Health Officer.”
More information on COVID-19 and how to self-isolate are available on the BC Centre for Disease Control website at: http://covid-19.bccdc.ca.
