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Salmon Arm  

Visitors not welcome in Shuswap this long weekend

Please stay away

Yes it is a beautiful part of the world, but please don't come for a visit.

In a normal year, the Shuswap is a hot spot for tourists looking to take a break from the doldrums of life and spend some time basking in the sun while splashing in area lakes on the Victoria Day long weekend.

But 2020 is not a normal year.

The COVID-19 crisis has changed the way things are done and officials with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District are asking people to stay away.

Officials with the CSRD are reminding everyone to avoid non-essential travel and that includes the trips to the cabin.

“Despite the gradual easing of restrictions, all non-essential travel – even travelling within BC – is continuing to be discouraged by medical health officers. The best course of action is to stay close to home," said Kevin Flynn, board chair of the CSRD.

"This is not the time to pack up the car or RV for a road trip or to head for your cabin. This is the time to stay local and check out all the great things about your home community."

BC's Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reminds citizens the province is still in Phase 1 of the reopening plan. Phase 2, which will see additional establishments reopen with strict social distancing guidelines, does not go into effect until after the May 16-18 long weekend.

People are encouraged to continue to stay local until the province enters Phase 3 of the reopening plan, which may happen in June, if there isn't a surge in COVID-19 cases.

"We appreciate all the people who, like us, think our region is terrific and want to visit. Telling people to stay away is a very difficult decision," said Flynn. "But we do not want to jeopardize the effectiveness of the sacrifices we have all made over the past two months. If we can stay on track, people will be able to explore our region sooner rather than later."

While CSRD parks, trails and boat launches remain open for use by residents at this time, physical distancing requirements continue to apply.

Citizens are asked to be respectful of distancing measures, especially when more people may be wanting to use these amenities on the weekend.



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