www.theasianstar.com
Vol 19 - Issue 12
Saturday, April 18, 2020
We’re flattening the COVID-19 curve in BC, says Premier John Horgan ... Premier John Horgan says people in British Columbia should congratulate themselves for their efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve, but it’s still too early to loosen restrictions. Horgan said Wednesday that B.C. is poised to release data that indicates the province has had success in bending the trajectory of COVID-19. He said the majority of people are following the orders of provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to self-isolate if sick, practise physical distancing and wash hands frequently. Most people in B.C. also stayed close to home over the Easter weekend and did not visit cottages or take drives to nearby communities, he added. Health Minister Adrian Dix and Henry will present the COVID-19 modelling data Friday.
... But no return to normalcy in BC ‘for some time’ - says Dr. Bonnie Henry A return to normal life may still be a long way off for BC and it will depend on people staying at home, washing their hands and maintaining physical distances, according to the provincial health officer. Dr. Bonnie Henry said Wednesday that while B.C. has managed to hold COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations to manageable levels, “we are not at the end of our beginning yet.” She said she doesn’t foresee any lifting of the restrictions on daily life within the next two weeks or even three weeks. “Normal is going to look quite different for some time,” Henry said. “There are some measures that we are not going to be able to stop doing until we have enough immunity in our community ... to prevent transmission and to prevent a lot of people from becoming sick in a short time.” That immunity can only come one of two ways — through infection or through development of a vaccine. Until then, physical distancing and frequent handwashing will remain the norm.
Tel:604-591-5423
Vancouver begs for $200M from BC govt while other cities manage on their own While Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart has asked for $200 million from the provincial government and highlighted negative consequences if they don’t get support, other B.C. municipalities are taking a different approach toward mitigating the financial impact of the pandemic. “[Bankruptcy] is a lovely dramatic phrase, and no disrespect to the good people of Vancouver … but it’s not gonna happen,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog. “Not gonna happen in Vancouver, and not gonna happen in Nanaimo. We will trim our sail to match our cloth, as my granny told me.” Nanaimo council has passed a “revenue anticipation borrowing bylaw”, allowing them to take up to $50 million for any immediate cash
Continued on page 6
6 Indian-Americans to help Trump revive US economy President Donald Trump has roped in six Indian-American corporate leaders, including Sunder Pichai from Google and Satya Nadella from Microsoft, to seek advice from the “brightest and the smartest” people on how to restart US economy that has been crippled by the coronavirus pandemic. America’s economy, the world’s largest, has come to a standstill due the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 95 per cent of the 330 million population is under stay-at-home order amid a national emergency in place. A Continued on page 7
18 charged in Brampton for playing cricket, breaking social distancing bylaw Brampton municipal bylaw officers laid 11 charges over the weekend after neighbours complained about a group of men playing cricket, breaking physical distancing rules. An Instagram video of the incident uploaded over the weekend shows a group of 13 people gathering in a field on Sail Rd. – in the Creditview and Mayfield Rds. area – on Sunday around 2:15 p.m. Two cruisers from Peel Regional Police then arrive on the scene.
Non-medical cloth masks are your choice during COVID-19 By Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer
From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have regularly seen people choose to wear a variety of masks, from medical masks to cloth face coverings, in grocery stores and parks, on buses and sidewalks. As we all look to protect our loved ones and ourselves, many have asked if this is the right thing to do. What we know about the virus that causes COVID-19 is that it spreads from droplets when people who are infected with the virus
cough, sneeze or expel droplets when they are in close contact (within one to two metres) with others. This is why physical distancing is so important and why self-isolation is necessary when we are ill or have recently travelled. This is also why washing our hands, covering our mouths when we cough, and not touching our face or eyes are the best actions we, as individuals, can
take during the pandemic. Equally important is the need to reserve medical masks and N95 respirators for our healthcare- workers. It is their job to care for us when we are ill and having the correct protective equipment to do that is crucial for them and for all of us. So how do non-medical cloth masks fit in? The Canadian public health special advisory committee has closely reviewed evidence from around the world to answer this question.
Continued on page 4
THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING YOUR HOME ??? RAJDEEP SINGHH SEKHON B.A. (Hons.), MA., LLB
778 320 5359 59 SRS Panorama Realty
Suite #103 - 12030, 80 Ave, Surrey, BC
BRING US ANY OFFER, BRING US ANY TRADE IN! NEW PATHFINDER AWD LEATHER
swfy kol koeI vI Aw&r ilAwE, koeI vI tRf y ilAwE!
NAVIGATION PLUS ALLPOWER & LUXURY OPTIONS,7 PASS
$ 36,988
3 ONLY
NEW QASHQAI SUV 4X4 Intelligent AWD Moonroof •••Alloy Wheels Transmission ••Auto Rear Camera And Much More! •
$ 24,988
NEW ROGUE SUV SAVE THOUSANDS
24,988
$
OVER 50 NEW & OVER 30 PRE-OWNED ROGUES ALL SALE PRICED!
GENUINE