By Jesse Heinrichs
The City of Kimberley said in a press release on March 16, that they will be putting measures in place to encourage social distancing within the city.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns around Coronavirus (COVID-19), as the number of confirmed cases in Canada has grown to 377.
READ: Civic Centre and Marysville Arena closed until further notice due to COVID-19 concerns
The Kimberley Aquatic Centre will be closing its doors as of 8:00 p.m. March 15, and will begin their spring shutdown a few weeks ahead of schedule.
Previously, the city had only planned on canceling programming, such as lessons, fitness classes, and spring camps.
As part of the spring shutdown, the aquatic centre will be undergoing yearly required maintenance and a vigorous cleaning.
“We look forward to reopening as soon as operationally possible,” said the city.
In addition to closing the doors at the aquatic centre, the city closed both arenas indefinitely on March 13. And while City Hall remains open, residents are asked that if they are experiencing flu like symptoms to refrain from visiting. You can call 250-427-5411 or email info@kimberley.ca and staff will assist you.
“As you are all aware, the situation across Canada regarding COVID-19 is changing very rapidly,” said the city in their press release.
“The City of Kimberley is working very hard to ensure the safety of its employees and residents.”
The City of Kimberley’s decision came following recommendations from the BC Center for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the Ministry of Health.
Although social distancing is an effective measure for preventing disease, the government of Canada said it can’t stop there.
“Public health measures are usually implemented as combinations of two or more measures, which is sometimes referred to as layered use,” they said in their website.
“The theoretical rationale for layering public health measures is based on the expectation that combinations are likely to be more effective than the partial effectiveness of a single measure,” they said.
Measures like social distancing, and proper washing of the hands, have been recommended by the federal government as a means to slow the curve of infection rate. A slower rate of infection takes pressure off of the public health care workers, and ensures people who need treatment can get it.
Updated on March 16, 2020, at 3:17 p.m.