How New Zealand and some Canadian regions blocked a proven factor in virus spread. Kristina Jenei is a freelance science writer and public health researcher at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. She is currently based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Follow her @kjmeetswrld. SHARES Another batch of YVR arrivals. What would it take to make sure people — and the coronavirus — stay put? Photo: Shutterstock. At Tuesday’s COVID-19 press briefing, Dr. Bonnie Henry indicated that “unnecessary travel and social gatherings are fueling the fire.” The fire being the third wave of COVID-19 which seems to be propelled by highly transmissible variants of concern. Despite promises to impose stronger measures to curb non-essential movement, Premier Horgan recently said British Columbia would not implement any new travel restrictions at this time. He continued, “I appreciate we want to be like New Zealand, but we can’t be.”