Vancouver is over one year into the worldwide Covid-19 global pandemic and even through the various hiccups along the way the city is still moving forward. It’s slower for some industries than it is for others (Hotels/Restaurants/Public Events). Some companies made a pivot to the way they did business and benefitted grocery stores and various delivery companies have seen growth as people heed the warnings of Health Agencies and stay home. Less now than in the very beginning of the pandemic when Burrard street was eerily quiet.
The way individual people and companies stepped up to make face masks – Our Favourite Local Designers Making Face Masks Right Now – Vancouver Magazine (vanmag.com) and provide different safety equipment for health workers and front-line staff has been Inspiring. It is impressive how when faced with an insurmountable problem there are those that come up with exceptional solutions. It always happens in times of uncertainty – Human Ingenuity.
Who hasn’t stayed in touch with their family via Zoom or Google meet of Facebook messenger – I attend all of my Tourism Vancouver events via zoom. We even took part in a Virtual Trade show a couple of weeks ago. That was weird, especially not being able to get together with the attendees after the event at a reception. Good thing I have a water cooler in my office.
When we were able to go to restaurants recently, I felt safer just by having a plexiglass partition between me and the booth beside me and seeing my server attend our table in a mask was reassuring. I feel it’s human nature to make the best of a bad situation. I applaud all those that do whatever they can to make things better, slow the spread and take care of others.
Travel from other locations when allowed has some restrictions that are not insurmountable – The cities of Richmond and Vancouver (with approval of the BC Government) have set up Quarantine Hotels where you need to stay for a minimum of three of the 14 days that you have to quarantine. COVID-19 mandatory hotel stopover: Plan and book – Canada.ca These hotels must provide three meals daily and clean towels and bedding as required and guests must be tested for Covid prior too arrival and upon arrival to determine if they are healthy. Staff are not to go into these rooms for the safety of the guest and the front-line associate. After your initial three days at your Designated Quarantine Hotel, you may go onto another hotel for the remaining 11 days or you may go to a private location – the important thing is that you let the medical authorities know where you are in case you have a negative test. And then you can be assisted immediately.
Although the Century Plaza Hotel is not a designated Quarantine Hotel in Vancouver, we do follow Covid-19 protocols if you are staying with us for the remaining 11 days. When you check in, we will take your temperature to make sure that you do not have a fever, we require you to have a mask on at all times when in public and to keep your distance from other guests at the property. The front desk associate and Café team will be behind a plexiglass screen for both their and your protection using ENVISION Global Inc. products.
You will be required to remain in your room and will have no housekeeping service inside the room while you are in quarantine. We will drop off your breakfast outside your room in the morning and will deliver groceries, cleaning supplies, garbage bags as needed or ordered food to your room.
Many of our rooms have full kitchens and you will have access to a stove and a fridge while you are here. After your quarantine stay you are free to see the city and attend restaurants (patios only right now) the seawall or Stanley Park. Masks are still required in the hotel and we will still request that you maintain a reasonable distance between you and your fellow traveler (travelers not in your immediate group)
Judging by the numbers in BC people are respecting the current travel restrictions with an understanding that this is for the greater good. Vaccines when available and offered appear to be taken with little hesitancy in BC. We would hope that if you are offered the chance to get a vaccine and you have no underlying reason not to take it that you would. The more people vaccinated the better chance we have of getting back to some semblance of normalcy.
We thank all the guests that have supported us in the last year and look forward to welcoming those who are scheduled to come back again or who will be gracing our doorsteps for the first time, We can do this! See you soon.
