Quote:
Originally Posted by White Out 403
Because BC isn't a separate country.
What a garbage take.
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There were pretty much no cases before tourist season picked up. Going around town in Penticton today, there are a lot of people from out of town, many from Vancouver as well as many from Alberta. Lots of youngish people around and very few wearing masks and socially distancing. Since Canada day the Okanagan has gone from having very, very few cases to being the COVID outbreak centre of BC.
Almost 1/3 of the population in Penticton is 65+ years of age. Same for the Okanagan overall. The local population is pretty old on the whole with lots of people in the highest risk demographic.
Asking people not to come is a double edged sword, because tourism is critical for the economy, but based on demographics and health risks, this is the last place people should be encouraged to come to.
People who are young and don't wear masks or social distance deserve resentment. Those aren't just people from Alberta. I believe it was reported that the Kelowna outbreak spread from Vancouverites. Regardless of where someone is from, they should be considerate of the fact that the local population of this major tourism region has a lot of people at high risk of serious or deadly consequences of infection.