All playgrounds in the Greater Victoria School District are closing to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
The decision follows the direction of B.C.'s Provincial Public Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, the district said.
鈥淲e are closing our school playgrounds in the best interests of our kids and community," said Superintendent Shelley Green. 鈥淲e all have a social responsibility in preventing the surge of transmission. We must do our part to flatten the curve and comply with the recommendations from our public health authorities.鈥�
Signs are being installed to inform the public of the closures.
Playing fields will remain open, but members of the community are reminded to practise social distancing.
Some communities on 91原创 Island are putting playground equipment off-limits to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Saanich, Victoria, Oak Bay, the Capital Regional District, Colwood and Parksville have announced that playgrounds and playground equipment will be closed. Parks, especially wilderness-style parks with trails, will remain open, but municipalities warn users to practise social distancing of at least two metres.
Municipal parks officials have said they are unable to appropriately wipe or clean playground equipment to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Richard Stanwick, chief medical health officer for Island Health, said kids by nature congregate together when engaged in active play and won鈥檛 maintain the social distancing that鈥檚 needed to slow the virus鈥檚 spread.
鈥淪o in good conscience, [municipalities] are closing playgrounds,鈥� he said.
Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry had expressed a similar concern.
鈥淚f there is a group of kids all mingling on a playground, that is not what we need,鈥� Henry told reporters Thursday.
鈥淧arents should not be letting children go and have play dates and go to playgrounds with other groups of children because we know that can transmit this virus and then they bring it home to you and your family.
鈥淭hat is how it gets transmitted to seniors.鈥�
Stanwick said playgrounds aren鈥檛 the only option for keeping kids active.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 take your kids out for a walk or find things to do,鈥� said Stanwick. 鈥淎ctivities are good, particularly for kids who need to burn off energy if they stay home.鈥�
