The province is taking a digital route to get its COVID-19 messaging out to young people in the Kelowna area: Social media influencers.
During a press conference on Tuesday, July 21, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said several influencers have started sharing COVID-19 best practices over the past few days, in an effort to quell exposures among people in their 20s and 30s — the age groups in which most of the recent Kelowna tied cases were identified.
“I’m so proud, and you’ll see it on Instagram, the work of different people from all walks of life, from people involved in fitness to food to tourism to community activities who are posting on Instagram right now to get that message out,” Dix said
“We are going to have to adjust and adjust and adjust again and again and again throughout this pandemic which I remind everybody, is not going away, there is no cure, and there is no vaccine.”
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Dix added that adjustments are coming to public health advice and orders as a result of the increase in COVID-19 cases in Kelowna in recent days.
“We also have to acknowledge that there were unorganized circumstances that were involved in this outbreak in Kelowna, and we have to take responsibility for those. We have to work with the owners of certain businesses to improve the circumstances in those businesses.”
A COVID-19 press conference with Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, despite initial plans for a written statement.
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