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With new COVID restrictions in place Kelowna Chamber hopes to help deploy rapid test kits

The Chamber is calling on the province to provide economic support for businesses and individuals
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Covid-19 Rapid Test Device kits at Humber River Hospital in Toronto on Tuesday November 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

New restrictions put in place on Tuesday to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across B.C. will deeply impact businesses such as bars, and fitness studios that have been ordered closed.

With the new restrictions in place, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is calling on the province to provide economic support for businesses and individuals that will be most impacted.

Effective Wednesday, Dec. 22, bars, nightclubs, gyms, and fitness centres will be closed and no private indoor organized gatherings of any size will be allowed until mid-January. Sports tournaments are also now cancelled. Restaurants will be allowed to remain open, though physical distancing or physical barriers must be put back in place.

Public seated indoor events are being reduced to 50 per cent capacity, regardless of the venue size with vaccination checking and mandatory mask-wearing remaining in place.

“This an awful time for small business owners to face fresh financial uncertainty. Though the province referenced forthcoming supports in its announcement, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, Ravi Kahlon must move quickly to get support to businesses that need it,” said Chamber president Jeffrey Robinson.

However, a positive will be that the B.C. government is expecting a supply of rapid COVID-19 screening tests to arrive from the federal government by mid to late January.

Robinson said he was pleased to learn of a strategy to deploy rapid test kits is in the works and that the Kelowna Chamber is ready to assist in the distribution of rapid tests kits to businesses that are interested in using them.

Alberta has begun offering take-home tests in its infection program, to screen people who have been exposed so they can be referred for a more accurate PCR test that confirms coronavirus infection.

“We have heard from our Chamber colleagues across the country that rapid tests kits have been well received by many businesses and have helped in stopping the spread of the virus in the workplace,” said Dan Rogers, Kelowna Chamber executive director.

“These rapid tests kits should be made available to small businesses at minimal cost no matter where they are located in the province, and we believe members of the BC Chamber network are well-positioned to help the province with distribution if needed.”

READ MORE: Feds add businesses, employees impacted by capacity limits to COVID benefit eligibility

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