BBQs Are OK So Long As Precautions Taken

With the warm weather many people are thinking about holding a family barbecue and according to the Province's chief medical officer that is OK so long as certain precautions are taken.

The precautions are necessary because of the COVID - 19 coronavirus which has a provincially declared State of Emergency closing schools, numerous non-essential businesses as well as public events to stop its spread and not overwhelm the Province's medical system.

Answering media questions at Thursday's news conference announcing Re-Open Saskatchewan Dr Saqib Shahab said the time honoured tradition of family barbecues carries acceptable risk so long as interactions are limited and are with the same family members, friends or neighbours.

Re-Open Saskatchewan is a staged plan to safety re-start the Province's economy within acceptable risk factors designed to make any risk manageable.

Dr Shahab said if people are physically distancing themselves and it is not new people everyday it should be OK to have a barbecue with the same family members and friends. He said not to meet with two or three new people everyday as that will increase the risk.

“As long as people are comfortable and they can keep their interactions limited to two or three friends or virtual households, for the most part, that would be something to sustain us for the next few weeks, but minimize the risk of transmission that can come from larger gatherings and meeting lots of people," he said.

Gatherings would still be subject to the ten person limit.

Dr Shahab said special precautions should be observed when preparing and serving food as this is where the virus has spread in the past.

Premier Scott Moe said if people do hold backyard barbecues that they will still need to practice physical distancing - staying at least two meters apart from other people - to help prevent the spread of COVID - 19.