The province’s top doctor says communication of a single case of COVID-19 in the Ministry of Health building was handled well.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said she has been one of the few people working in the 1515 Blanshard St. building for the past few months. She said public health was notified, the staff member’s supervisor was contacted, and protocols were followed.
“We have over 1,000 people that work in that building,” Henry said. “Most have been working remotely. There are safety protocols in place. I think it was handled very well, and we, of course, hope that the person is recovering well.”
Only potential contacts and same-floor staff were notified of the exposure, causing a stir among others in the building.
Danielle Marchand, press secretary to the president of the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union, said union workers on other floors wanted better and faster communication of the possible exposure.
Philip Twyford, assistant deputy health minister, sent a memo to all staff last week promising improved communication.
Public health will directly contact anyone identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive and advise self-isolation, Twyford said in the memo, adding the ministry must strike a balance between transparency and protecting a person’s identity.
Henry said there’s a sense in parts of the country that maybe we’re not going to be exposed to the COVID-19 virus, but this case reminds us it does travel.
“I think it was a wakeup call for many people perhaps,” she said. “We now are seeing cases on Vancouver Island, when there was a sense of complacency. We’ve seen this many times around the province in different workplaces, where people feel particularly vulnerable and anxious when there’s a case that’s close to them. This is not unexpected.”
