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KELOWNA, B.C. Big White Ski Resort says it has fired “a number” of staff after a cluster of 60 cases of COVID-19 was discovered earlier this week.
Michael Ballingall, the senior vice-president for the Kelowna, B.C., resort, says in an email reply the staff were let go either for violating the provincial health officer’s orders or the resort’s own contracts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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December 16, 2020 - 2:33 PM The cluster of 60 people associated with Big White Ski Resort may grow as more testing is done over the next few days. About 70 people were tested in each of two clinics held there on Friday and again on Monday. Clinics will return tomorrow, Dec. 17, Friday and possibly next week, Interior Health medical health officer Dr. Silvina Mema told a news briefing today. “We don’t want people travelling from the hill and coming here to get tested,” she said. Dr. Mema explained that contact tracers had talked to a number of people last week who had COVID-19 symptoms and who had been to Big White.
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KELOWNA Big White Ski Resort has fired “a number” of staff after a cluster of 60 cases of COVID-19 was discovered earlier this week.
Michael Ballingall, the senior vice-president for the Kelowna resort, told The Canadian Press via email that the staff were let go either for violating the provincial health officer’s orders or the resort’s own contracts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Ballingall says the resort has a zero-tolerance policy on such matters, but wouldn’t say how many people were let go.
by Craig Takeuchi on December 16th, 2020 at 3:30 PM 1 of 2 2 of 2
Although B.C. has begun its COVID-19 immunization program, British Columbians will need to continue on with health measures for many more months ahead, particularly as the province is continuing its efforts to reduce high case numbers and transmissions.
The first vaccinations began in the province yesterday (December 15), starting with healthcare workers before expanding to other frontline workers and vulnerable populations in the coming months.
However, B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has previously explained that vaccinations won’t have any impact upon transmission levels for the first few months. In addition, immunization for British Columbians who aren’t part of vulnerable populations won’t begin for several months.
Big Whit Ski Resort near Kelowna (Shutterstock)
A day after a COVID-19 “cluster” was confirmed at Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, resort management said some employees have now been let go as a result.
In a statement, the resort said it has a daily health protocol in place “which follows the guidelines of the Provincial Health Officer,” and requires all employees working in the resort and their offices off-mountain to sign a Health Declaration upon beginning work.
The mountain noted it has a zero-tolerance policy with any employees who are found to be in breach of the documents, and “to that end, we have had to let go some of our employees.”