The risk of spreading the Covid-19 virus through tourism is of imminent concern for Victoria. Cruise ships pose the greatest threat to our population. We ask that until Island Health is in any capacity ready for an outbreak, that all dockings of cruise ships be cancelled immediately.

Victoria is home to one of our nation's most elderly populations - those most at risk of infection and death. Retirees are not just our loved ones and neighbours, they are the volunteers and economic drivers of our local economy. The financial gains of the cruise ship season felt by the few stakeholders and trinket shops, can not start to weigh in on the risk to health for our entire city and surrounding region. The risk is too high.

Island Health does not have current capacity to manage a Covid-19 outbreak. Until the Health Authority clears the risk of cruise ship dockings and disembarkment as a vector for the virus, zero ships should be considered safe. This is not business as usual - the risks of unmanageable loss are real. The rising death toll from Covid-19 is real. All measures of reducing global contamination must be practiced.

With a mild summer, Victoria may never see the much hoped for reprieve of reduced cases in hot summer months. There are no other means to mitigate the risk of becoming a global viral hotspot, other than regular hand washing and avoidance of contact in unnecessary crowded spaces. Keep these ships out at sea and away from our ports. Keep us safe.