On July 28, Interior Health (IH) declared a COVID-19 outbreak in the central Okanagan due to significant increases in COVID-19 transmission, and has announced measures to contain the outbreak.
Interior Health advises that the measures will remain in place for at least 14 days and until the region experiences lower cases and higher vaccination rates.
Masks
Effective July 29, 2021, starting at midnight, there will be a regional mandatory mask order for all public indoor spaces in the central Okanagan communities of Peachland, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, Kelowna and Lake Country. The order applies to individuals older than 12 years of age.
That means that all students, faculty, staff and visitors to UBC’s Okanagan campus are required to wear a mask while in any university indoor common spaces.
Travel
Interior Health is also discouraging non-essential travel to the area for people from outside the central Okanagan unless they are fully vaccinated (seven days after their second dose). This will remain in place for the duration of the outbreak.
Events and gatherings
During this outbreak, UBCO will continue its compliance with the Province’s Step 3 Restart Plan.
Step 3 includes a return to normal for indoor and outdoor personal gatherings; however, in the central Okanagan, Interior Health advises people should be more cautious:
- Organize events outdoors rather than indoors, if possible.
- Maintain physical distancing, hand cleaning, and stay home if you are sick.
- Maximum capacity for indoor organized gatherings is 50 people or up to 50 per cent of a venue’s maximum capacity.
- Events scheduled during this outbreak in the central Okanagan should have a COVID-19 safety plan in place.
Additionally, some types of activities, including some core business and educational activities, will require a Safe Event Plan. For more information about what types of bookings require a Safe Event Plan, visit Bookings and Events or contact ready.ok@ubc.ca.
Learn more
For more information about UBC’s response to COVID-19, updates, FAQs and resources, visit ubc.ca. For UBC Okanagan-specific updates, visit ok.ubc.ca/covid19.
