Vancouver health authority warns of public COVID exposure at Wreck Beach
Vancouver Coastal Health has added a popular clothing-optional beach at the University of British Columbia to its list of public COVID-19 exposures.
The risk of exposure took place at Wreck Beach all day on Aug. 15, a hot and sunny Saturday when some people complained on social media about a lack of social distancing among the crowds there.
The health authority says the risk is believed to be low-risk. Anyone who was there that day should self-monitor for symptoms, and anyone who develops symptoms should get tested for COVID-19 and then self-isolate.
Asked why it took two weeks — the incubation period for the coronavirus — for the exposure to be posted, Vancouver Coastal Health said contact tracing is a complex process that sometimes leads back to earlier exposures.
"It's still important to alert the public, as it may help us identify and link other cases that are still ongoing," a spokesperson said.
Health authorities issue public exposure notifications when contact tracers haven't been able to reach or identify everyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Although health officials say spending time outdoors is less risky than socializing indoors with people outside your household, it's still possible for COVID-19 to be transmitted.
To reduce the risk of exposure, health officials recommend keeping at least two metres apart from others and not congregating in large groups.
