Morning News Update for May 11 2020

📸 Garlic and Carrots / via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

NANAIMO—Some Nanaimo-area Farmers' Markets that closed at the start of the pandemic, are reopening again, but with a whole new set of rules. The Cedars Farmers Market opened on Sunday. It has moved its location to Woodbank Elementary School to ensure safe physical distancing. And, there are 25 vendors this year, down from 85 last year. The Island Roots Market will reopen for the season on Wednesday at Beban Park. Like Cedars, there will be 25 vendors, and only they will be allowed to handle their products, to curb the spread of the virus. You can also order online from Island Roots. Meanwhile, Nanaimo's Downtown Market will not reopen this year.

New COVID-19 cases in the Island health region continue to decline. None was reported on Saturday, and there have been only two new cases of the virus in the region in the past week. Province-wide, there were 15 new cases reported on Saturday and two deaths on the lower mainland. There was a death from the virus in Island Health on Wednesday, bringing the total in the region to 5. In BC, the death count is 129. The majority of deaths and continuing outbreaks have been in senior care homes. Currently, there are outbreaks in 15 senior care homes. Outbreaks in 19 others have been declared over.

BC's Provincial Health Officer says for now, the ban on visitors to care homes will remain because it is not safe to relax the rules right now. However, Dr. Bonnie Henry is promising to find ways of allowing visits in the future. She says Health Authorities are working with the sector because the visitor policies will be shaped by the size of the home and its population. Henry acknowledged how "difficult, lonely and trying" it is for seniors who "have to stay in their own cocoon." She says allowing visits will depend on whether British Columbians continue to do their part to prevent the spread of the virus.

Do you have a question about COVID-19, BC's Restart Plan or the plan to resume surgeries? You will have your chance tonight to ask Dr. Henry or Adrian Dix, the health minister. They will be hosting a COVID-19 virtual town hall meeting on the government's Facebook page. They will take some questions during the live broadcast, but you can also submit questions in advance at www.gov.bc.ca/covid19townhalls

British Columbians who are on the federal disability program will not get the $300 dollar a month boost that people on BC's Disability Program receive in April, May and June. Speaking to reporters on Friday, BC's Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction indicated the province is unwilling to extend the provincial disability program boost to federal recipients. Shane Simpson says he has asked his federal counterparts to increase payments under their own plan.

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Lisa Cordasco

Senior Reporter and News Director — Lisa is responsible for creating the station's first morning news current affairs show on CHLY. She is also deeply involved in training and mentoring student and citizen journalists who volunteer their time at the station. Before joining CHLY, Lisa spent 35 years in various roles at CBC Radio, from host to reporter. Her passion for journalism and radio has led her to Nanaimo, where she intends to provide CHLY listeners with news they can use, in an alternative radio environment. Her other not-so-secret passion is costuming for any occasion.

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