It’s time for another full lockdown in Vancouver, BC
The issue
Dear John Horgan, Adrian Dix and the B.C. Government,
We, the people, have had enough. We understand we are in a pandemic, there are restrictions galore, and you guys are trying hard. But let’s face it, it’s not working very well.
Yet again our case numbers have jumped to the highest they have been in 6 weeks. Our virus transmission is now at a R factor of 1.54*!! The highest it has ever been. Even .01 over 1 means how quickly this virus can spread!
The majority of us are doing the right thing, avoiding being social with our friends and family and wearing masks everywhere. But it’s not enough.
We have obeyed all restrictions gladly because you said it would help stop the rise of cases and help us recover from this pandemic quicker. But although we have been at this for months and months now, we are not seeing the results we expected, and now cases are on the rise again. It’s time for a different tactic.
Put us into a short term stage 1 lockdown, and get our case numbers down to 0. It is possible, it can be done, and the majority of people will be happy to do it if it means getting our freedom back sooner.
WHY A LOCKDOWN?
Here is why a lockdown is a good idea for Greater Vancouver:
1- A short term lockdown worked before when this pandemic started. We got cases down for the summer, and apart from traveling overseas, most of us were able to socialize and be with our friends and families. It can work again.
2- A short term lockdown will drastically reduce the amount of people in the cities, transit, malls and school and will help stop the spread in weeks, which is much better than this partial lockdown has done in months.
3- If we can get down to 0 cases we will stop the new strains from spreading too and protect our vulnerable sectors from this virus whilst we are immunizing as fast as possible.
4- The mental health of your citizens is not okay. We are all struggling. These restrictions are taking a great toll on us are causes more episodes of depression, anxiety, and suicide than normal. We need a end date. We need this to be over and we need your help to do this as quickly as possible.
5- If you schedule the lockdown to start after spring break (or inclusive of it), the burden on parents to watch their kids will not be as bad a mid school term lockdown. They will be okay for another 2 weeks off school after spring break with online learning so we can get this under control (hence giving us a 4 week lockdown).
6- If the lockdown is scheduled in advance, you can give businesses time to prepare, get ready and help ease the financial difficulties of a lockdown. A snap lockdown is terrible for small businesses, but a well planned set time lockdown will help everyone be more prepared.
7- A short term lockdown will cause short term pain to the economy, but it will bounce up once the restrictions lift and people feel safer going out and spending money again.
8 - The warmer weather will be here before we know it, and with summer so short, we need to get the cases down now so we can have some normality this year. We can’t keep living like this for another year or until the whole province is vaccinated.
9 - Even in the eyes of the world, we are not doing enough and we are now being called the Florida of Canada*. This is not acceptable and just embarrassing.
10 - The most recent science on COVID19 is showing is that it can be transmitted by aerosol*. Even if this is new, this is extremely worrying, and more reason why now is the reason to lockdown!
11 - As much as you have tried to tell us so, schools are not safe. No one believes the majority of what you are telling us, especially when multiple other first world cities are telling everyone the opposite and their cases are better. Cohorts are mixing in hallways, bathrooms, playgrounds and kids are not social distancing enough. There are cases in schools (and not due to any fault of the teachers who are working harder than ever before to keep the students safe), and by the time schools are notified, not enough can be done. Everyone is trying so hard. Kids are exhausted. Parents are exhausted. Teachers are beyond exhausted. And we feel like you don’t care about any of us. So it’s time to show us you do care.
12 - Even poor Bonnie Henry is looking exhausted these days in her press conferences, compared to a year ago. Look at how hard she has worked and how much further we will have to go if you do not make a change. You need to look after your government, your people and the greater good.
It is time for a lockdown now.
Here is evidence of how a lockdown was successful at dropping cases to 0 in a city with 5 million people:
A CASE STUDY:
A good example of how a lockdown can be successful is in the case of Melbourne, Australia.
In July 2020, The Greater Melbourne Area (with a population just under 5 million) reached 700+ cases a day. This was deemed unacceptable and as a result they put the entire state/province into stage 4 lockdown (with 4 being even stricter than our last stage 1). The great city of Melbourne was the focus of the lockdown, but the rural areas of the province also had hard restrictions in place.
At present, Greater Vancouver has 2.4 million people, so approximately half Vancouver’s size. Thus meaning if we were in Melbourne, Australia right now, our government would have shut us down at around 350 cases a day. We did not do this. Not even when cases reached 900 a day, was this even considered.
In Melbourne’s lockdown, they had the following restrictions*:
▩ There are only four reasons to leave the home: shopping for essential supplies, care and caregiving, exercise and essential work
▩ Exercise and shopping will be limited to within 5 kilometres of your home
▩ Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors if you are outside your own home
▩ No visitors will be allowed in homes
▩ Schools and tertiary education will be closed and online learning was set up
▩ Public gatherings are banned
▩ People must work from home when they can
▩ Weddings will be banned except on compassionate grounds
▩ Places of worship and religious gatherings will not be permitted
▩ Funerals will be capped at 10 people
▩ Indoor physical recreation and sport venues will be closed
▩ Outdoor sport will not be permitted (outdoor playgrounds remain open)
▩ Swimming pools will be closed
▩ General (non-essential) retail will be closed
▩ Hairdressing, beauty and personal care services will be closed
▩ Real estate agents will be closed for inspections and auctions will be online only
▩ Hospitality venues will be open for take-away only
▩ No visitors to aged care facilities (unless for end-of-life reasons)
▩ No visitors to hospitals (except for end-of-life reasons, support partners for birth or when accompanying a child)
The fine for breaching Stage 4 restrictions was $1,652 for individuals, and $9,914 for businesses.
The Result:
Melbourne’s harsh lockdown lasted 73 days, with another 39 or loosened restrictions at the end (similar to what BC has now). However the end result was ZERO CASES. Bare in mind, Vancouver has less than half Melbourne’s population, so ours should not be near as bad. If we adopt a similar lockdown plan, and lockdown for 4 weeks, we will result in a massive reduction of cases.
Even if we did go a little bit longer, it would be worth it, to get back to our normal lives and reduce the stresses the people of BC are living under.
The alternative is to continue as we are, be on this restrictive living for months or until the vaccine is over, and loose the short summer months we have. We need to do this now.
We are ready and willing for a lockdown. We now ask you, the Government of BC, to listen to us and help us get to 0 cases as soon as possible with the help of a lockdown. Please don’t be arrogant and ignorant and ignore our plea. We are ready to do what it takes to get our lives back.
Will you help us do it?
Sincerely,
The Citizens if British Columbia
*News articles to back up statements:
Melbourne Stage 4 Restrictions Announced:
Melbourne’s Timeline:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-54686812
BCTF School Concerns:
https://globalnews.ca/news/7661608/bctf-workplace-bc-coronavirus-claims-schools/
Aerosol Transmission Concerns from COVID19:
B.C. is now the Florida of Canada / R factor 1.54:
R Factor - what it means:
https://globalnews.ca/video/7659044/rising-covid-19-r-value-causes-concern-in-bc-ab-and-sk
Petition Closed
The issue
Dear John Horgan, Adrian Dix and the B.C. Government,
We, the people, have had enough. We understand we are in a pandemic, there are restrictions galore, and you guys are trying hard. But let’s face it, it’s not working very well.
Yet again our case numbers have jumped to the highest they have been in 6 weeks. Our virus transmission is now at a R factor of 1.54*!! The highest it has ever been. Even .01 over 1 means how quickly this virus can spread!
The majority of us are doing the right thing, avoiding being social with our friends and family and wearing masks everywhere. But it’s not enough.
We have obeyed all restrictions gladly because you said it would help stop the rise of cases and help us recover from this pandemic quicker. But although we have been at this for months and months now, we are not seeing the results we expected, and now cases are on the rise again. It’s time for a different tactic.
Put us into a short term stage 1 lockdown, and get our case numbers down to 0. It is possible, it can be done, and the majority of people will be happy to do it if it means getting our freedom back sooner.
WHY A LOCKDOWN?
Here is why a lockdown is a good idea for Greater Vancouver:
1- A short term lockdown worked before when this pandemic started. We got cases down for the summer, and apart from traveling overseas, most of us were able to socialize and be with our friends and families. It can work again.
2- A short term lockdown will drastically reduce the amount of people in the cities, transit, malls and school and will help stop the spread in weeks, which is much better than this partial lockdown has done in months.
3- If we can get down to 0 cases we will stop the new strains from spreading too and protect our vulnerable sectors from this virus whilst we are immunizing as fast as possible.
4- The mental health of your citizens is not okay. We are all struggling. These restrictions are taking a great toll on us are causes more episodes of depression, anxiety, and suicide than normal. We need a end date. We need this to be over and we need your help to do this as quickly as possible.
5- If you schedule the lockdown to start after spring break (or inclusive of it), the burden on parents to watch their kids will not be as bad a mid school term lockdown. They will be okay for another 2 weeks off school after spring break with online learning so we can get this under control (hence giving us a 4 week lockdown).
6- If the lockdown is scheduled in advance, you can give businesses time to prepare, get ready and help ease the financial difficulties of a lockdown. A snap lockdown is terrible for small businesses, but a well planned set time lockdown will help everyone be more prepared.
7- A short term lockdown will cause short term pain to the economy, but it will bounce up once the restrictions lift and people feel safer going out and spending money again.
8 - The warmer weather will be here before we know it, and with summer so short, we need to get the cases down now so we can have some normality this year. We can’t keep living like this for another year or until the whole province is vaccinated.
9 - Even in the eyes of the world, we are not doing enough and we are now being called the Florida of Canada*. This is not acceptable and just embarrassing.
10 - The most recent science on COVID19 is showing is that it can be transmitted by aerosol*. Even if this is new, this is extremely worrying, and more reason why now is the reason to lockdown!
11 - As much as you have tried to tell us so, schools are not safe. No one believes the majority of what you are telling us, especially when multiple other first world cities are telling everyone the opposite and their cases are better. Cohorts are mixing in hallways, bathrooms, playgrounds and kids are not social distancing enough. There are cases in schools (and not due to any fault of the teachers who are working harder than ever before to keep the students safe), and by the time schools are notified, not enough can be done. Everyone is trying so hard. Kids are exhausted. Parents are exhausted. Teachers are beyond exhausted. And we feel like you don’t care about any of us. So it’s time to show us you do care.
12 - Even poor Bonnie Henry is looking exhausted these days in her press conferences, compared to a year ago. Look at how hard she has worked and how much further we will have to go if you do not make a change. You need to look after your government, your people and the greater good.
It is time for a lockdown now.
Here is evidence of how a lockdown was successful at dropping cases to 0 in a city with 5 million people:
A CASE STUDY:
A good example of how a lockdown can be successful is in the case of Melbourne, Australia.
In July 2020, The Greater Melbourne Area (with a population just under 5 million) reached 700+ cases a day. This was deemed unacceptable and as a result they put the entire state/province into stage 4 lockdown (with 4 being even stricter than our last stage 1). The great city of Melbourne was the focus of the lockdown, but the rural areas of the province also had hard restrictions in place.
At present, Greater Vancouver has 2.4 million people, so approximately half Vancouver’s size. Thus meaning if we were in Melbourne, Australia right now, our government would have shut us down at around 350 cases a day. We did not do this. Not even when cases reached 900 a day, was this even considered.
In Melbourne’s lockdown, they had the following restrictions*:
▩ There are only four reasons to leave the home: shopping for essential supplies, care and caregiving, exercise and essential work
▩ Exercise and shopping will be limited to within 5 kilometres of your home
▩ Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors if you are outside your own home
▩ No visitors will be allowed in homes
▩ Schools and tertiary education will be closed and online learning was set up
▩ Public gatherings are banned
▩ People must work from home when they can
▩ Weddings will be banned except on compassionate grounds
▩ Places of worship and religious gatherings will not be permitted
▩ Funerals will be capped at 10 people
▩ Indoor physical recreation and sport venues will be closed
▩ Outdoor sport will not be permitted (outdoor playgrounds remain open)
▩ Swimming pools will be closed
▩ General (non-essential) retail will be closed
▩ Hairdressing, beauty and personal care services will be closed
▩ Real estate agents will be closed for inspections and auctions will be online only
▩ Hospitality venues will be open for take-away only
▩ No visitors to aged care facilities (unless for end-of-life reasons)
▩ No visitors to hospitals (except for end-of-life reasons, support partners for birth or when accompanying a child)
The fine for breaching Stage 4 restrictions was $1,652 for individuals, and $9,914 for businesses.
The Result:
Melbourne’s harsh lockdown lasted 73 days, with another 39 or loosened restrictions at the end (similar to what BC has now). However the end result was ZERO CASES. Bare in mind, Vancouver has less than half Melbourne’s population, so ours should not be near as bad. If we adopt a similar lockdown plan, and lockdown for 4 weeks, we will result in a massive reduction of cases.
Even if we did go a little bit longer, it would be worth it, to get back to our normal lives and reduce the stresses the people of BC are living under.
The alternative is to continue as we are, be on this restrictive living for months or until the vaccine is over, and loose the short summer months we have. We need to do this now.
We are ready and willing for a lockdown. We now ask you, the Government of BC, to listen to us and help us get to 0 cases as soon as possible with the help of a lockdown. Please don’t be arrogant and ignorant and ignore our plea. We are ready to do what it takes to get our lives back.
Will you help us do it?
Sincerely,
The Citizens if British Columbia
*News articles to back up statements:
Melbourne Stage 4 Restrictions Announced:
Melbourne’s Timeline:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-54686812
BCTF School Concerns:
https://globalnews.ca/news/7661608/bctf-workplace-bc-coronavirus-claims-schools/
Aerosol Transmission Concerns from COVID19:
B.C. is now the Florida of Canada / R factor 1.54:
R Factor - what it means:
https://globalnews.ca/video/7659044/rising-covid-19-r-value-causes-concern-in-bc-ab-and-sk
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Petition created on 26 February 2021