On Tuesday, March 30, Whistler Blackcomb, the largest ski resort in North America, closed for the season eight weeks ahead of schedule. The decision was made after the British Columbia government ordered the resort to shut down until April 19 to quell the spread of COVID-19. Originally, Whistler Mountain was scheduled to close April 18, and Blackcomb Peak was slated to stay open until May 24. Neither will reopen this season.At a press conference on March 29, provincial health minister Dr. Bonnie Henry cited a surge in cases in the Whistler community and the need to curb travel-related spread. New cases of COVID-19 in the Howe Sound area, where Whistler is located, rose from a total of 32 during the first week of March to 247 during the last week of the month. The worrisome Brazil P.1 variant, first discovered in January, is also on the rise throughout British Columbia. The Globe and Mail reported that it is the largest known spread of the variant outside Brazil. P.1 is more contagious, can cause more severe symptoms, and, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control, may be able to reinfect people who’ve already had the virus. It also may not be as responsive to current treatments and vaccines as milder coronavirus strains. New cases of the variant identified in other regions of Canada have been linked back to travelers spending time in the Whistler area. The surge has since sparked other restrictions, including a three-week ban on indoor dining and drinking, indoor group fitness classes, and indoor worship services.
Source: Whistler, Revelstoke, and Big White Close Due to COVID | Outside Online
