Around the Point

It all started with an article in the Globe and Mail newspaper on March 20 titled “The unique threat of illness in Point Roberts.” However, it wasn’t until the Guardian published “The safest place: how one isolated U.S. town is keeping coronavirus at bay” that it began to snowball. The thought that there was a community isolated from the pandemic obviously struck the nerves of numerous editors.

The story, or variants thereof, have since appeared in the Daily Mail in England, Global News in Canada, and Fox News, Good Morning America and the New York Post in the U.S. as well as many other news outlets.

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British Columbia has extended the provincial state of emergency for the third time in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We can’t take our foot off the gas now,” said Premier John Horgan. “As we look toward the future and our ‘new normal’ we must remember what got us to this point and continue to stay yet course now to keep our communities and our loved ones safe.”

The state of emergency is extended through May 12, and gives the province expanded powers to support the province’s pandemic response, from writing tickets for price gouging to property tax relief. The province will keep in place recommendations for limiting travel and physical distancing.