Learn more about the budget process at metrovancouver.org/about-us/bud.... Note that Metro Vancouver serves more than the City of Vancouver - it includes 21 municipalities, one electoral area, and one treaty First Nation. Find the full list in the budget feedback survey.
Have your say by taking the survey by March 27: engage.zencity.io/metrovancouv...
Be sure to mention that you care about:
- wastewater monitoring for communicable diseases
- air quality improvements (incl. indoor air quality improvements, and aligning building codes with ASHRAE 241)
Advocacy opportunity 📣 Until March 27, the Metro Vancouver regional district wants public input on their 2027 Budget & 5-year plan. Metro Vancouver deals with things like:
- wastewater
- air quality
- regional planning
- below-market rental housing
and more!
Graphic with teal background promoting International Long Covid Awareness Day. Text reads: International Long Covid Awareness Day - March 15. Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal. Down the left side, there are three photos of people speaking at last year’s Long Covid Awareness Day events.
On March 15, we invite you to join us for International Long Covid Awareness Day in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto & Montreal.
Hear from experts and people with Long Covid, and see our public awareness project featuring personal stories.
Details: covidsociety.ca/priorities/l...
#LongCovid #ilcad2026
[Traduit de l’anglais]
Étude : présence d’ARN du SRAS-CoV-2 dans 39 % des échantillons d’air prélevés dans les hôpitaux pendant des éclosions, malgré une bonne ventilation
CIDRAP
Le 17 février 2026
Par Laine Bergeson
stillcoviding.ca/fr/nouvelles...
#santé #COVID #CovidIsNotOver #BringBackMasks
📷 Image description: A red sign suspended from a ceiling, with text in white reading: emergency.
📰 Read articles about airborne transmission:
stillcoviding.ca/en/tag/airbo...
Health group calls on B.C. to bring back mask mandates in medical settings
Daily Hive
February 12, 2026
By Hanna Hett
stillcoviding.ca/en/news/heal...
#BC #BCPoli #health #BringBackMasks #CovidIsNotOver
Media release from @donoharmbc.bsky.social: donoharmbc.ca/independent-....
This is our chance to let BC know:
👉 wastewater testing is essential 👉 we don’t want any more cut
👉 we want them to improve the program!
The survey only takes a few minutes & is anonymous.
Learn more about BC’s wastewater program here: www.bccdc.ca/our-services...
#Covid19BC #PublicHealth
Screencap from the BCCDC wastewater dashboard with a notice stating, report updated on September 18, 2025. Data is presented up to the reporting period of epi week 37 (September 7 - 13, 2025). The wastewater surveillance program has implemented some new changes starting September 11, 2025: 1) the number of wastewater treatment plants tested has been changed to eight provincewide, as opposed to previously 12 wastewater treatment plants. 2) they will now be one sample collected per wastewater treatment plant per week, as opposed to previously three samples per treatment plant per week. 3) sequencing of wastewater samples will be changed from weekly to every two weeks.
Clinical data (like no. of hospitalizations & deaths) are lagging indicators, making wastewater essential. Unfortunately, BC drastically cut their testing program in Sept 2025 - they stopped testing 4 treatment plants, and reduced sampling to once a week & sequencing to once every 2 weeks.
Advocacy opportunity 📣 BCCDC is assessing BC’s wastewater surveillance program. Survey here: ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Wastewater testing is an “early warning system” to monitor community illness levels, including surges & new variants. It’s a crucial tool for pandemic preparedness.
Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in to WorkSafe, and participated in their September hearing about regulation updates. Your voices made a difference!
Learn more about what a CSA standard is and why this one’s important here: donoharmbc.ca/national-sta...
#N95sSaveLives #CovidIsAirborne
Good news - WorkSafeBC has announced that when the newest edition of CSA standard Z94.4 comes out, they’ll review it for future updates to BC’s workplace safety regulations.
This means we’re one step closer to getting up-to-date rules about workplace N95 use and airborne transmission into BC law!
Stay safe: ventilate, vaccinate, educate, mitigate. And head to DoNoHarmBC.ca to join our renewed calls for BC to restore healthcare mask requirements, including closing loopholes and making respirators (like N95 masks) the default choice 😷
Canadian COVID Forecast for January 17 to January 30, 2026, produced by COVID-19 Resources Canada. Canada's COVID Forecast outlook is VERY HIGH (no change) with a COVID INDEX SCORE of 12.1. About 1 of every 95 people is infected. Estimated infections this week: 303,900-409,500 What these numbers mean: MODERATE 1-5, HIGH 5-10, VERY HIGH 10-15, SEVERE >15 COMPARED TO THE LOWEST POINT IN THE COVID PANDEMIC IN CANADA How much higher are key indicators compared to the lowest point in the COVID pandemic in Canada? Waste water, infections: VERY HIGH; 10.5X higher Long COVID: HIGH; 6.4X higher Hospitalizations: VERY HIGH; 10.6X higher Deaths: SEVERE; 15.1X higher
British Columbia's COVID Forecast for January 17 to January 30, 2026, produced by COVID-19 Resources Canada. Outlook is HIGH (decreasing) with a COVID INDEX SCORE of 8.1. About 1 of every 180 people is infected. Estimated infections this week: 22,400-30,200 What these numbers mean: MODERATE 1-5, HIGH 5-10, VERY HIGH 10-15, SEVERE >15 COMPARED TO THE LOWEST POINT IN THE COVID PANDEMIC IN CANADA How much higher are key indicators compared to the lowest point in the COVID pandemic in Canada? Waste water, infections: HIGH; 8.2X higher Long COVID: HIGH; 6.4X higher Hospitalizations: HIGH; 7.4X higher Deaths: HIGH; 8.6X higher
Gauges with the Jan 17 - Jan 30, 2026 COVID Forecast scores for Canada, the provinces, and territories. From left to right: Canada: VERY HIGH - 12.1 Alberta: VERY HIGH - 12.3 British Columbia: HIGH - 8.1 Manitoba: SEVERE - 19.2 New Brunswick: VERY HIGH - 11.2 Newfoundland & Labrador: VERY HIGH - 11.3 North: VERY HIGH - 12.9 Nova Scotia: SEVERE - 17.6 Ontario: VERY HIGH - 10.9 Prince Edward Island: HIGH - 9.8 Quebec: VERY HIGH - 12.3 Saskatchewan: SEVERE - 17.9
A graphic shows recommendations from COVID-19 Resources Canada, including: UPDATE vaccines every 6 months WEAR N95-type masks AVOID indoor social gatherings AVOID crowded non-essential places Below that, text reads, infection increases risks of long-term health damage (Statistics Canada). A Statistics Canada graph shows long term symptoms from one infection (14.6% of people), two infections (25.4%), and for three or more infections (37%).
Here’s the latest hazard index from the academic-led team at Covid-19 Resources Canada, based on federal government wastewater data. This is the forecast from Jan 17th to 30th.
COVID rates are very high across Canada (~1 in every 95 people is infected), and high in BC (~1 in 180).
It’s hard to say for sure, but sooner is probably better - we’ve previously had success with a December deadline, though if sending something in isn’t possible til later, every bit helps!
Yellow DoNoHarm BC postcard design with an image of a gingerbread man wearing a Santa Claus hat and an N95 made of white icing. Text reads, All I want for Christmas is you... supporting evidence-based public health measures in BC Budget 2026
Pink DoNoHarm BC postcard design featuring a coronavirus-shaped Christmas ornament. Black text reads, I don't get a holiday from Long Covid. Support Long Covid care in 2026. Learn more at DoNoHarmBC.ca
A blue DoNoHarm BC postcard design features snowflakes on a blue background. Blue text reads, Let's share Clean Air in 2026. Support clean indoor air in BC Budget 2026. Learn more at DoNoHarmBC.ca
Another option: add your MLA to your holiday card list! Use any old card you have lying around, or use our printable #Postcards4PublicHealth to help send them a message. Remember, sending mail to MLAs & Ministers is free!
Get your FREE printable postcard designs here: donoharmbc.ca/postcards4pu...
Join our calls for:
📈 Wastewater monitoring & year-round communicable disease dashboard updates
💨 #CleanAir measures
💉 Vaccine access incl. Novavax
🧪 Access to rapid & PCR tests
😷 #N95s for healthcare workers
🏥 #LongCovid care
Get the easy email script: donoharmbc.ca/bc-budget-20...
Black, yellow and blue DoNoHarm BC graphic with an illustration of an air purifier, N95, rapid test and COVID-19 vaccination. Text reads, Tell BC to support health measures in Budget 2026. Take action and find sample wording at www.DoNoHarmBC.ca
Psst - the BC government is currently finalizing #BCBudget2026 (which will likely be presented in February). This gives us ONE LAST CHANCE to make sure that BC invests in key public health priorities in the coming year! donoharmbc.ca/bc-budget-20... #BCpoli #BChealthcare #CovidIsAirborne
“It’s one thing not to be prepared for the unexpected. It is another thing altogether to be unprepared for the entirely predictable.”
If you think that BC hospitals should be preventing illness outbreaks instead of playing catchup, add your voice today: donoharmbc.ca/masks-in-hea...
Close-up photo of a young boy wearing a white N95 respirator with teddy bears illustrations on it. He is looking at the camera. Donate A Mask Canada and Giving Tuesday logos at the bottom of the image on a red background. donatemask.ca/fundraiser
Our #GivingTuesday campaign starts today! 💙 Help spread #masks, not illness. 😷 Donate by December 14 and your donation will be matched by the GKE Foundation. 🎉
donatemask.ca/fundraiser
#GivingTuesdayCa #StillMasking #MaskUp #Charity #Fundraiser
You can learn more at DoNoHarmBC.ca.
There’s no need to call me back/I’d appreciate a callback about next steps. My number is —-————.”
Let’s make our voices heard! If you have yet to send an email, you can find the tool at DoNoHarmBC.ca!
[I can’t safely get medical care / my vulnerable loved one is at risk / as a healthcare worker I face unnecessary risks.]
We also need to close gaps in the rules, and use N95 style masks as the default - a practice supported by over 1,700 experts, advocates, and major unions.
“Hello, this is ——— from postal code ———. I’m calling to ask you to help restore mask requirements in healthcare. These protections have already returned in Newfoundland, Labrador, PEI, and major Quebec hospitals due to viral surges across Canada - and without consistent protection in BC,…
![Blue, yellow and black graphic with text at the top that reads: Call your MLA and other Policymakers, 1 of 2 images. There is a picture of a person in an N95 mask, holding up a cell phone to their ear with a speech bubble that reads: “I’m calling to ask you to help restore mask requirements in healthcare. These protections have already returned in Newfoundland, Labrador, PEI, and major Quebec hospitals due to viral surges across Canada - and without consistent protection in BC, [I can’t safely get medical care / my vulnerable loved one is at risk / as a healthcare worker I face unnecessary risks.]” BC Health Minister: 250-953-3547, PHO Office: 250-952-1330, BC CDC: 604-707-2400, BC Premier: 250-387-1715, MLA & other contacts: donoharm.ca/contact-list/ DoNoHarm BC logo at the top right.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2gdkudbkudymp7m6se6e327a/bafkreicr4vqs3ppwdqeshdnxq3i5hvy757yod23hsdr4xr3fqlaufdq3ii)
Blue, yellow and black graphic with text at the top that reads: Call your MLA and other Policymakers, 1 of 2 images. There is a picture of a person in an N95 mask, holding up a cell phone to their ear with a speech bubble that reads: “I’m calling to ask you to help restore mask requirements in healthcare. These protections have already returned in Newfoundland, Labrador, PEI, and major Quebec hospitals due to viral surges across Canada - and without consistent protection in BC, [I can’t safely get medical care / my vulnerable loved one is at risk / as a healthcare worker I face unnecessary risks.]” BC Health Minister: 250-953-3547, PHO Office: 250-952-1330, BC CDC: 604-707-2400, BC Premier: 250-387-1715, MLA & other contacts: donoharm.ca/contact-list/ DoNoHarm BC logo at the top right.
Blue, yellow and black graphic with text at the top that reads: Call your MLA and other Policymakers, 2 of 2 images. There is a picture of a person in an N95 mask, holding up a cell phone to their ear with a speech bubble that reads: “We also need to close gaps in the rules, and use N95 style masks as the default - a practice supported by over 1,700 experts, advocates, and major unions. You can learn more at DoNoHarmBC.ca. There’s no need to call me back/I’d appreciate a callback about next steps. My number is —-————.” BC Health Minister: 250-953-3547, PHO Office: 250-952-1330, BC CDC: 604-707-2400, BC Premier: 250-387-1715, MLA & other contacts: donoharm.ca/contact-list/ DoNoHarm BC logo at the top right.
Already emailed BC policy-makers about the need for healthcare mask requirements? Take the next step and make some calls 📞 If you don’t want to speak to a person directly, try calling after hours instead and leave a message.
It just takes a few seconds. You can use our quick script:
Blue, yellow and black graphic with an illustration of a person in an N95, fist raised, holding a sign that reads: Keep (and improve) masks in healthcare. Text at the top reads, Have your say by April 1, and at the bottom it says, Add your voice: www.DoNoHarmBC.ca In the corner is the DoNoHarm BC logo and a QR code.
Stay safe out there: ventilate, vaccinate, educate, mitigate. And head to DoNoHarmBC.ca to join our renewed calls for BC to restore healthcare mask requirements ASAP, including closing loopholes and making respirators (like N95 masks) the default choice 😷
Canadian COVID Forecast for November 22 to December 5, 2025, produced by COVID-19 Resources Canada. Canada's COVID Forecast outlook is HIGH (no change) with a COVID INDEX SCORE of 9.4. About 1 of every 161 people is infected. Estimated infections this week: 580,400-750,800 What these numbers mean: MODERATE 1-5, HIGH 5-10, VERY HIGH 10-15, SEVERE >15 COMPARED TO THE LOWEST POINT IN THE COVID PANDEMIC IN CANADA How much higher are key indicators compared to the lowest point in the COVID pandemic in Canada? Waste water, infections: HIGH; 8.8X higher Long COVID: HIGH; 6.0X higher Hospitalizations: HIGH; 8.2X higher Deaths: VERY HIGH; 11.4X higher
British Columbia's COVID Forecast for November 22 to December 5, 2025, produced by COVID-19 Resources Canada. Outlook is HIGH (decreasing) with a COVID INDEX SCORE of 8.4. About 1 of every 221 people is infected. Estimated infections this week: 59,400-76,800 What these numbers mean: MODERATE 1-5, HIGH 5-10, VERY HIGH 10-15, SEVERE >15 COMPARED TO THE LOWEST POINT IN THE COVID PANDEMIC IN CANADA How much higher are key indicators compared to the lowest point in the COVID pandemic in Canada? Waste water, infections: HIGH; 7.3X higher Long COVID: HIGH; 5.8X higher Hospitalizations: HIGH; 5.7X higher Deaths: HIGH; 8.6X higher
Gauges with the November 22 to December 5, 2025 COVID Forecast scores for Canada, the provinces, & territories: Canada: HIGH - 9.4 Alberta: SEVERE - 15.1 British Columbia: HIGH - 7.2 Manitoba: VERY HIGH - 13.9 New Brunswick: VERY HIGH - 14.0 Newfoundland & Labrador: HIGH - 7.9 North: VERY HIGH - 11.1 Nova Scotia: VERY HIGH - 14.3 Ontario: HIGH - 8.2 Prince Edward Island: HIGH - 8.8 Quebec: HIGH - 8.7 Saskatchewan: VERY HIGH - 14.5
A graphic shows recommendations from COVID-19 Resources Canada, including: UPDATE vaccines every 6 months WEAR N95-type masks AVOID indoor social gatherings AVOID crowded non-essential places Below that, text reads, infection increases risks of long-term health damage (Statistics Canada). A Statistics Canada graph shows long term symptoms from one infection (14.6% of people), two infections (25.4%), and for three or more infections (37%).
Here’s the latest hazard index from Nov 22 to Dec 5 from the academic-led team at Covid-19 Resources Canada, based on federal government wastewater data.
COVID rates are still high across Canada (~1 in every 161 people is infected), and high in BC (~1 in 221).
!["Dark blue, yellow and black graphic with an illustration of a person in an N95, fist raised, holding a sign that reads: Restore (and improve) masks in healthcare. Next to the DoNoHarm BC logo and a QR code, yellow title text says, Take action. Body text reads, [Email emoji] Click to email policy-makers
[Phone emoji] Leave a quick phone message
[Fax emoji] Send free faxes
[Mailbox emoji] Send #Postcards4PublicHealth (strike permitting. Mail to MLAs and Ministers is free!)
[Calendar emoji] Ask for a call or meeting with your MLA
[Megaphone emoji] Spread the word to raise awareness
Add your voice today: DoNoHarmBC.ca"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2gdkudbkudymp7m6se6e327a/bafkreieffiim6wn3sccb7gsg6ddkr4vexbt3f7ernyr4bwvkjvcre5itk4)
"Dark blue, yellow and black graphic with an illustration of a person in an N95, fist raised, holding a sign that reads: Restore (and improve) masks in healthcare. Next to the DoNoHarm BC logo and a QR code, yellow title text says, Take action. Body text reads, [Email emoji] Click to email policy-makers [Phone emoji] Leave a quick phone message [Fax emoji] Send free faxes [Mailbox emoji] Send #Postcards4PublicHealth (strike permitting. Mail to MLAs and Ministers is free!) [Calendar emoji] Ask for a call or meeting with your MLA [Megaphone emoji] Spread the word to raise awareness Add your voice today: DoNoHarmBC.ca"
It’s past time for action. Head to donoharmbc.ca/masks-in-hea... to join our renewed calls for BC to restore & improve healthcare mask protections, including closing loopholes & making respirators (like N95 masks) the default choice 😷
#KeepMasksInHealthcare #N95sSaveLives #Covid19BC
Instead of masks in healthcare, BC has:
🏥 more ER closures
🚨 expert warnings about the “worst kind of flu season”, due to mismatch of vaccine & emerging strain
🦠 a global surge of COVID-19
🐓 H5N1 outbreaks
☣️ BC measles exposures + loss of Canada’s measles elimination status
Dark blue, yellow and black graphic with an illustration of a person in an N95, fist raised, holding a sign that reads: Restore (and improve) masks in healthcare. Next to the DoNoHarm BC logo and a QR code, smaller text reads, Add your voice: www.DoNoHarmBC.ca
ACTION ALERT 📣 BC is falling behind in protecting patients & healthcare workers. As we enter fall/winter, Newfoundland, Labrador, PEI, major Quebec & Ontario hospitals & more have already restored mask requirements in healthcare - yet so far, BC has failed to take action.
