Morning Update for March 24th, 2020.

*Photo: Dr Forrest an Infectious Diseases Specialist at Nanaimo Hospital. Photo from his facebook video which was circulated March 23rd.*

NANAIMO —A doctor who specializes in infectious disease and critical care at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital says it is under-resourced when it comes to treating the most serious cases of COVID-19. Dr. David Forrest says NRGH has only 4 ventilators per 100,000 residents, which is far below what most other cities have. He says if several thousand people in the region became infected, there would not be enough ventilators for the 14 per cent who would need them. Forrest is calling on all local businesses to close their doors except for grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations.

Meanwhile, BC Premier John Horgan is rejecting calls to shut down all non-essential businesses. Horgan says he believes many workers are already self-isolating and he's relying on a "methodical, science-based approach" before taking further action. The provincial government in Ontario has ordered all non-essential businesses to close by midnight tonight.

BC's Provincial health officer will update the number of COVID-19 cases later this afternoon. Yesterday, Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 472 cases in BC, with 39 of them in the Island Health District.

BC has announced a $5 billion dollar COVID-19 Action Plan which includes help with illness, financial strain or precarious employment. The Minister of Finance says British Columbians who have had to stop working will qualify for a one-time tax-free payment of $1000. Carole James says those affected can start the process by registering with the federal government's COVID-19 Emergency Care Benefit. Those who do not qualify for Employment Insurance can register on the Canada Revenue Agency's "My Account" portal. If you do not have an account, you will be able to register with a toll-free number that will be announced in the future.

BC's action plan will help those with student loans. Payments have been deferred until September the 30th. BC Hydro and ICBC will also be offering deferred payment plans.

Closer to home, the city of Nanaimo is closing more public spaces in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. All sports courts from hockey to tennis are closed. So are skateboard, bike parks and gated dog parks. Playgrounds were closed on Saturday.

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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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