British Columbians have been nimble in adapting their individual actions to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities over the last ten months, and it has had a big impact.

A new school year unlike any other begins in just a few days. I know living through the pandemic is a worry for all of us. But I know many people, especially students, are excited about heading back to school, to connect with teachers and friends.

The effects of COVID-19 have been far reaching. Everybody in our province has been impacted, as well as everybody across Canada and around the globe. We have learned a lot about the virus, how it spreads and how nations around the world are managing outbreaks.

Testing for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases is a core tenet of public health.

Now that we are well and truly into our COVID-19 pandemic response, many people throughout British Columbia and Canada have similar questions and concerns.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have regularly seen people choose to wear a variety of masks, from medical masks to cloth face coverings, in grocery stores and parks, on buses and sidewalks.

When an outbreak hits a community, one of the most urgent things people want is information. This is human nature, as information allows us to protect ourselves, our families and our loved ones.