Bylaw officers in Williams Lake will be patrolling to ensure social distancing requirements are being met as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold.
“They are not there to enforce, they are simply there to remind people of just how important it is to be social distancing,” said chief administrative officer Milo MacDonald during the regular council meeting Tuesday, March 24.
“At times like this it could literally mean the difference between life and death.”
MacDonald added he hopes anyone that is watching is respectful to the bylaw officers when they pass on that message.
They are trying to make it better for everyone, he said.
Last Friday, March 20, the City closed all playgrounds, but Mayor Walt Cobb said the City has received reports of people still using them, especially tot parks.
Read more: COVID-19: Williams Lake closes playgrounds, while trails, public parks remain open
“It’s not safe and we cannot have staff there at all hours to make sure everything is sanitized, so we will be trying to keep people out,” he said. “We can’t be too cautious. Stay safe, support each other where you can.”
Neighbours may need help, such as somebody to get groceries for them, he added.
“Whether Williams Lake has been notified or not by Interior Health Authority about a confirmed cases or not, we need to take every measure we can to protect ourselves and others. How I like to think about it is that everyone is a carrier, including yourself. You don’t want to get it and you don’t want to spread it.”
Cobb encouraged people to stay at home.
“Stay positive, we will survive. We will get through this,” he added.
Read more: A letter from Williams Lake doctors on COVID-19: ‘Lives depend on your actions now’
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