COVID-19 vaccination card coming to attend events, restaurants in B.C.

A B.C. vaccine card will be needed this fall to get into sporting and culture events and other venues, such as restaurants and fitness centres.

As of Sept 13, proof of at least one vaccine will be needed. By Oct. 24, two doses will be required for entry and the second dose must have been at least seven days prior to that date, Premier John Horgan announced during a news conference today, Aug. 23.

“Unvaccinated people are at 10 times higher risk (of getting COVID) as those who are vaccinated,” provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said during the same news conference.

The infection rate amongst those who are unvaccinated is 28/100,000 while, for those who are fully vaccinated, only two people per 100,000 are getting infected, Dr. Henry said.

And 93 per cent of those in hospital have not been vaccinated, she added.

The vaccine passport will be needed to get into restaurants, both indoor and on patios, indoor concerts, indoor ticketed sporting events, indoor theatre, dance and symphony events, night clubs, casinos, movie theatres, fitness centres, gyms, organized indoor events such as weddings, parties, conferences, meetings and workshops.

Individual businesses or event organizers may implement their own restrictions.

Health authorities are looking at possibly implementing some aspects of the passport program in the Interior Health region sooner than in the rest of the province. That means the restrictions on gatherings and mask wearing that were made region-wide last week may be eased prior to Sept. 13, Dr. Henry said.

READ MORE: COVID restrictions expanded throughout Interior Health region

Dr. Henry said this is a temporary measure to get through a difficult time. It will also be in concert with the federal government’s vaccine passport programs.

She stressed that getting vaccinated is important to protect everyone but especially children under the age of 12 who cannot yet get vaccinated.

The vaccine passport will be available as an app on cell phones but there will be options for those who don’t have cell phones. Full details will be available after the Labour Day long weekend, Dr. Henry said.

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