A rally around COVID-19 concerns is not welcome at a Salmon Arm mall.
In a Nov. 26 post on its Facebook page, the Centenoka Park Mall explained it is in no way associated with a public protest planned to take place at the mall on Saturday, that the mall is private property and any event there must be authorized by mall staff.
Centenoka Park Mall manager Britney Lewis said the protest has not been authorized by the mall, and it is not wanted on the mall property.
“I just want to keep our tenants and our mall safe… we’re just trying our best and keeping everyone safe, masked up and doing what we can,” said Lewis.
To get a handle of the recent spike in COVID-19 transmission in B.C., Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry issued provincial health order suspending all gatherings and events in the province. These latest restrictions are in place until Dec. 7.
“We’re in a very challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are asking for everyone’s help to slow the spread of the virus in our province…,” said Henry in a Nov. 23 joint statement with Health Minister Adrian Dix.
“This means that right now, we all need slow down our social interactions and increase our layers of protection to get over this next hurdle together. Over the next two weeks, we need to reduce the level of transmission in our province to relieve the stress on our health-care system and keep our schools and workplaces open.
“It is about putting our social gatherings with anyone outside of our immediate household on hold and only doing those things that are essential and safe right now.”