Quebec, with the worst record of containing COVID-19 in Canada, is reopening schools. Korea, an early international success story in pandemic control, has lived to regret keeping night clubs open.

The B.C. plan to restart the economy is slower than that, more like Germany, which also unveiled its reopening strategy in early May with restaurants set to restart. Like Korea, Germany employed widespread testing for the novel coronavirus, and has seen an uptick in cases in recent days.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says public health officials are watching Germany closely.

sa国际传媒淭here has been a slight increase,sa国际传媒� Henry said at her daily briefing May 11. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a little bit hard to know exactly why in Germany, but wesa国际传媒檙e watching that very carefully. Wesa国际传媒檙e looking at a number of other countries, like New Zealand, Norway, some of the Scandinavian countries that have also taken very similar measures, and wesa国际传媒檙e watching whatsa国际传媒檚 happening, of course, across North America, but particularly in Quebec and Ontario, in Saskatchewan and other places where theysa国际传媒檙e making similar changes like we are.sa国际传媒�

Pubs and night clubs were shut down in mid-March as B.C. responded to cases trickling in from overseas. Korea kept them open, and has seen a surge in new cases since the weekend that has been traced to exposure in clubs.

Beginning in mid-May, B.C.sa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒減hase twosa国际传媒� starts with reopening most provincial parks for day use, rescheduling postponed surgeries, allowing dentistry, physiotherapy and other health treatments with additional protective equipment, and restarting office-based worksites, including the B.C. legislature by June.

Key business re-openings are retail, hair salons, restaurants and pubs, maintaining the physical distance rules that have kept B.C.sa国际传媒檚 COVID-19 cases in decline in recent weeks. Local governments are looking to open up streets for additional outside seating.

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Henry has stressed that just because businesses are allowed to reopen doesnsa国际传媒檛 mean they will, or should depending on their layout and staff requirements. Restaurants and other industry groups are finalizing their guidelines, and each will have to publicly post its pandemic safety plan when the owners and managers believe they are ready to go.

sa国际传媒淎 steady stream will be far more successful than a rushing river that can damage things in its path,sa国际传媒� Henry said.

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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