Do I have to wear a mask?

BC's Restart is a careful, four-step plan to bring British Columbians back together. Beginning on May 25, British Columbians can gradually begin to restart important social connections, businesses and activities. Getting vaccinated is the most important tool supporting the restart.

Below is a breakdown of the four steps.

There are four essential components that the government will monitor when deciding whether to move forward in the four step plan:

• Declining COVID-19 case counts
• Increasing vaccination rate in people 18+
• Declining COVID-19 hospitalizations, including critical care
• Declining COVID-19 mortality rate

To learn more, see the full B.C. Restart Plan.

For a detailed list of current province-wide restrictions and orders, see the Province-wide restrictions.

Four vaccines have been approved by Health Canada. They are the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/SII COVISHIELD (AZ/SII) and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. 

The vaccines are free for all British Columbians. Below is a breakdown of the four vaccination phases, as set out in the  BC COVID-19 Immunization Plan.

All British Columbians that are 12+ can now register to get vaccinated. B.C. is currently in Phase 4 of the BC COVID-19 Immunization Plan.

Approximately 8 weeks after your first dose, you will get an invitation by text, email or phone call to book your second dose appointment. 

If you are missing your second dose booking invitation, you must register with the system once. This includes people who booked their first dose before April 6 through a health authority call centre: seniors, elders, Indigenous Peoples, people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and health care workers. 

To read more about the second dose, learn which vaccine you can recieve, or to register with the system, see Get your second vaccine dose.

For all your COVID-19 immunization questions, see Immunize BC’s Q&A page.

Reminder: Provincial Health Officer (PHO) orders and guidelines remain in place for everyone, regardless if they have received the vaccine. 

For more information, see the Government of BC COVID-19 Vaccines page, and BCCDC’s Plan for Vaccine Distribution in BC.

Masks are recommended in indoor public settings for all people 12 and older who are not yet fully vaccinated. The mask mandate order under the Emergency Program Act was lifted July 1, 2021. Masks in public indoor settings are a personal choice.

You are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving dose 2 of the COVID-19 vaccine. Masks are optional for children aged 2 to 12, and children under 2 should not wear masks. Proof of vaccination does not need to be requested by service providers.

Some people may choose to continue to wear a mask after they're fully vaccinated and that's okay.

To learn more, you can read BC’s Restart Plan or see the updated Province-wide Restrictions.

According to the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), if you are under a Boil Water or Do Not Consume Advisory, it is still safe to wash your hands with soap and water.

See the FNHA COVID-19 website for more information on staying healthy during the health crisis. However, if you are living with a Do Not Use (DNU) advisory you should wash with bottled water. For specific water advisories and more information see HERE.

For the most up to date information, visit Recreation Sites and Trails BC. Click HERE for a list of parks that are open to visitors.

Booking for BC residents for the 2021 season is now open. Click HERE to make your reservation. For more information regarding the specific operating dates for your preferred park please visit the individual park webpages.

The Federal Government has created COVID 19: Indigenous awareness resources which contains information and resources in Indigenous languages.

The Provincial Government has translated its COVID-19 Coronavirus content into 

• Arabic
• Traditional Chinese
• Simplified Chinese
• Farsi
• French
• Korean
• Pubjabi
• Tagalog
• Spanish

If you are unable to open the links, check back later. They are likely being updated.

The BC Centre of Disease Control has also provided translated handouts and videos in multiple languages HERE.

The City of Vancouver has made their COVID-19 resource available in multiple languages including Korean, Tagalog, Chinese (traditional and simplified), and Farsi among others. Find Vancouver resources in your language HERE.

Canadians are strongly recommended to cancel or postpone all international travel.

Take this short questionnaire to find out if you can come to Canada. Use the federal ArriveCAN application to plan your trip.

On July 5, 2021, COVID-19 fully vaccinated travellers may be exempt from some quarantine restrictions upon arrival to Canada. To learn more about the exemptions and to determine if you meet the conditions, see HERE.

Effective January 7, 2021, at 12:01 am EST, all air passengers five years of age or older will be required to test negative for COVID-19 before travelling from another country to Canada. Documentation of a negative laboratory test result must be presented to the airline prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The test must be performed using a COVID-19 molecular polymerase chain reaction (or PCR) test and must be taken within 72 hours prior to the traveller’s scheduled departure to Canada.

As of February 21, 2021, at 11:59 pm ET, travellers, unless exempt, will also be required to:

• take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival in Canada
• stay in a hotel for 3 nights while they await the results of the COVID-19 molecular test they received on arrival
• pay for their hotel, as well as all associated costs for food, cleaning and security

All hotels will be located near one of the 4 Canadian airports currently accepting international flights:

1. Vancouver International Airport
2. Calgary International Airport
3. Toronto Pearson International Airport
4. Montreal-Trudeau International Airport

Anyone who receives a negative test result and is authorized to enter Canada must still complete the full, mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Travellers arriving to Canada by land or water, as of February 15, 2021, with some exceptions, will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the United States within 72 hours of pre-arrival, or a positive test taken 14 to 90 days prior to arrival. In addition, as of February 22, 2021, travellers entering Canada at the land border will be required to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival as well as toward the end of their 14-day quarantine.

See HERE for a full list of restrictions and requirements when returning to Canada.

The Government of Canada will be further increasing surveillance efforts to ensure travellers entering Canada complete the applicable mandatory 14-day quarantine period under the Quarantine Act. Travellers to Canada must use the ArriveCAN App or website and provide accurate contact information and their mandatory 14-day quarantine plan on or before entry.

Violating any instructions provided when you enter Canada is an offence under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to six months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines.

On July 1, 2021 BC updated the procedures in place for travellers returning from other countries. Go to Self-Isolation on Return to BC for full details.

Self-Isolation Plans

All international travellers returning to B.C., whether by land or air, are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days, submit a self-isolation plan and complete the federal CANArrive application.

Self-isolation plans must be reviewed by provincial government officials before travellers can return home.

You can submit your self-isolation plan and CANArrive application online before you begin your travel back to Canada or upon arrival. Go HERE for instructions on how to fill out your self-isolation plan and federal arrival application.

Current Quarantine Orders

On March 17, 2020, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) issued a quarantine order directing people returning to B.C. from the U.S. and other international destinations to self-isolate.

On March 25, 2020, the federal government implemented a self-isolation plan for returning international travellers on select flights under the Quarantine Act.

• The federal government will continue to use its authority under the Quarantine Act to ensure compliance with the order to self-isolate, enforceable by RCMP or local police
• Maximum penalties for breaking self-isolation orders include a fine of up to $750,000 and/or imprisonment for six months

All orders can be enforced by police or other compliance and enforcement officials. People who don't follow the order could be fined.

As of July 1, 2021, provincial restrictions have eased significantly. However, if you violate any remaining health orders, police and regulatory officers continue to have the power to issue fines.

To see the list of full BC enforcement measures and violation tickets, see Violation tickets for unsafe COVID-19 behaviour.

If you fail to quarantine or isolate  yourself (The federal government website explains the difference) as required upon returning to Canada from abroad, you can be fined or jailed under the Quarantine Act.

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Home is not safe for everyone. The added stress of the crisis, on top of added financial pressure, and close quarters can trigger violence. Women and victims’ organizations are still operating to assist people facing violence in the home.  

If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 911, or call your community police.. You can also call VictimLink BC at 1-800-563-0808. You can search BC Housing for a list of shelters near you. HealthLink BC also provides contact information for other services that support all victims, including youth and seniors.

Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) Crisis line remains open, providing emotional support to women experiencing gender-based domestic violence and/or uncertainty during these difficult times. They provide emotional support and can help you develop a safety plan. If safe, call or text 604-652-1867. You can also email them at intake@bwss.org. 

Transition Houses provide short- to long-term shelter and related support services to women, children, and youth who have experienced or are at risk of violence.  Find more information at www.sheltersafe.ca  

If you fear for your safety you may still be able to get a protection order from Family Court. Both the Supreme Court and Provincial Court will still hear applications if a judge determines the matter is urgent, including urgent applications for protection orders. See the BC Family Justice’s COVID -19 Legal Questions and the Legal Aid BC’s (formerly Legal Services Society) Q & A - Family Violence for more information and direction.

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If you are in immediate danger call 911. If you are not in immediate danger, call SAIL ((Senior Abuse & Information Line) a safe place for older adults and those who care about them to talk to someone about situations of abuse and mistreatment. They are available 8am-8pm. Line Tel: 604-437-1940 / Toll Free: 1-866-437-1940. For more information go to Seniors First BC. Additional support services for mistreated seniors can be found at Where to Get Help on the Government of BC website.