Editor:
Re: SDSS parents get together to give their grads a deserving send-off, July 9
It is now 14 days and counting since the June 26 graduation party hosted by Mellodee Rayne in Tsawwassen, and the story is still trending in the top four articles on the Optimist's website. I am concerned about the health safety of this event which saw 40 grads plus 80 parents get together, albeit outdoors, for a four- to five-hour event.
Despite Rayne's insistence that "everything was in keeping with B.C. health guidelines and social bubbles," the order of the B.C. provincial health officer about mass gatherings (May 22) was overlooked apparently. It prohibits having more than 50 people at a social gathering and has no expiry date.
The BC CDC website also states (July 12), "At this time, all in-person gatherings of any size are strongly discouraged." This is with Fraser Health new cases of COVID-19 at 14 (July 10), a testing positivity rate of 1.4 per cent (July 9), and previously, 2.5 per cent (June 28th).
At 2.5 per cent, with 120 attendees (and don't forget caterers and neighbourhood onlookers), three people could have been infected with COVID-19 upon arrival at the grad event and could have transmitted the virus to three people each during the event, for a possible total of 12 infections, assuming the hypothetical original three were asymptomatic at the time.
This is a degree of risk the school district chose to avoid by having virtual graduations. From photos accompanying the article, both online and in the July 9 print edition of the Optimist, I noted there was no social distancing among the watchers at the curb during the grad walk, or between pairs of dancers.
It is clear there is some community spread of COVID-19. I urge everyone to be careful out there this summer.
Diane Wallace
