B.C. health officials say some COVID-19 restrictions could be lifted by Family Day, Feb. 21

On the second anniversary of COVID-19's appearancein British Columbia, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry cited Family Day on Feb. 21 as a time when some public health restrictions could possibly be lifted thanks to a higher level of public immunity and people stepping up to get their vaccine booster doses.

"Right now, the actions we need to take are clear. We need to get boosted we need to get our children vaccinated. We need to stay home when we are sick, wear masks and keep our groups small," she said Friday during a live news conference.

"We can get through this. We will reach a point when we no longer need provincial orders or extraordinary measures."

The latest figures show 90 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and over have received a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

A total of 92.6 per cent of those 12 and over havereceived at least a first dose, along with 51 per cent of eligible children aged five to 11.

Henry said the province is in a very different place now than on Jan. 28, 2020 when the first presumptive case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in B.C.

"Remembering where we have been and what we have come through can help put today in perspective," she said.

"Much was unknown in our first wave, not just here but around the world. And we took extraordinary measures and it worked. We did a lot in British Columbia to flatten the curve."

Henry predicted COVID-19 will be with us for some time with new variants certain to emerge and immunity certain to wane. However,knowledge gained in the first two years of the virus will help guide decisions and manage it in the future," she said.

According to Health Mininster Adrian Dix, Friday was the 276th COVID-19 media briefing he and Henry have given since the virus first emerged.

WATCH | On the second anniversary of the pandemic, Dr. Bonnie Henry reflects on the lessons learned:

B.C.'s first case of COVID-19 was announced two years ago

3 years ago

Duration 0:50

B.C.'s provincial health officer reflects on the two years since the first case of COVID-19 was announced in the province.

When asked to reflect on things she wished were handled differently in the first two years, Henry said she felt there were times communication with the public could have been clearer, especially when information was changing fast.

"Do the best with what you know. And when you know better, do better," she said, paraphrasing American poetMaya Angelou.

Over the last two years, more than 2,500 British Columbians have lost their lives to the virus.

The pandemic itself has also shifted.

Health officials say contact tracing is no longer an effective way of controlling the spread of the highly-transmissible Omicron variantand are asking British Columbiansto self-monitor for symptoms, follow health ordersand, above all, get vaccinated to help protect society's most vulnerable.

"It's different now," said Henry,speaking Friday morning on CBC Radio's The Current.

She said the majority of people in the province are vaccinated and, because of that protection, they are not as likely to become seriously ill if they get infected.

Henry and Dix urged anyone who has not been vaccinatedto do so immediately. Other prevention measures should be no surprise to British Columbians at this point: they include frequent handwashing, maintaining physical distancing, keeping social gatherings small, wearing a maskand following workplace safety plans.

"We are not at the point where we're just throwing inthe towel and saying, 'Do nothing.' What we're saying is, 'All of us have to continue to do what we're doing and it's working,'" she told Galloway.

Exposed system cracks

Reflecting on the last two years, Henry saidthe pandemic has exposed issues in the public health system.

She said gaps include the disproportionate impact of the virus on women, people of colour, those with lower incomes and Indigenous communities.

"It is part of our job to try and find that balance of managing this and supporting those people who need it,"said Henry.

Henry said she has also personally been exposed to an onslaught of vitriol from people who disagree with her management of the pandemic.

She said protesters showed up outside her home last weekend, "intentionally trying to incite violence."

"It's comparing you to people who in history have been hung or shot ... and it gives a certain group of people licence to treat you as other. The psychology of that is something that is designed to create fear and that part is hard to take," said Henry.

But after two years, Henry said she remains hopeful.

"We have a lot more tools than we did even a year ago."