Long Beach Lodge owner Tim Hackett has apologized after publishing promotional material that suggested Tofino residents have all been vaccinated and the community is safe for tourists to travel to.
In a recent B次元官网网址楾idbits from TimB次元官网网址� newsletter update, Hackett wrote about the resortB次元官网网址檚 green initiatives and restaurant offerings and added that the resort is welcoming visitors from Vancouver Island this spring with protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The post also suggested that Tofino residents have all been vaccinated and that the community is safe to travel to.
B次元官网网址淚 am happy to report that over a three week period, everyone in Tofino, regardless of their age, has received their first Covid-19 injection. This makes Tofino safe for residents, people working in the hospitality industry, and really importantly, our guests,B次元官网网址� the post reads.
Community-wide vaccination clinics and residents over the age of 18 are eligible to make appointments. The entire community has not yet been vaccinated and the province is expected to announce increased restrictions on non-essential travel on Friday due to rising COVID-19 cases.
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HackettB次元官网网址檚 post was shared through social media by concerned residents expressing frustration and Tofino mayor Dan Law told the Westerly B次元官网网址 the post was forwarded to him on Thursday morning and he was dismayed to see false information being shared with potential travellers.
B次元官网网址淲hen I first read it, I was a bit shocked because itB次元官网网址檚 just not true and I was disappointed to see that kind of misinformation being posted by the owner of a prominent resort in our community, very disappointed,B次元官网网址� Law said. B次元官网网址淚t will be interesting to see the reaction from the community and it will be interesting to see the reaction from the province. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what IB次元官网网址檒l be quite interested to see, knowing that the province has made it very clear that now is not the time to travel and vacationing is not essential travel.B次元官网网址�
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He noted not all residents have been vaccinated as appointments are expected to run through April and that vaccinations take roughly three weeks to be effective, adding that Island Health and provincial health authorities have been working hard to distribute vaccines safely and efficiently as well as to keep British Columbians informed.
B次元官网网址淭o see this (resort) subvert all of that effort in one poorly informed post to potential visitors to Tofino is just utterly disappointing,B次元官网网址� he said.
Hackett issued a brief apology at 1:45 p.m. Thursday.
B次元官网网址淭o our community and guestsB次元官网网址lease accept my sincerest apologies for my recent comments about the west coast community vaccines. I am not an expert and should not have commented on it,B次元官网网址� reads the apology distributed by Long Beach Lodge via email. B次元官网网址淲e defer to our Island Health and Provincial experts for information.B次元官网网址�
The apology includes a link to an upcoming Public Forum for West Coast communities being hosted by Island Health on April 27.
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Law said the response to COVID-19 has varied in Tofino, with some accommodations and businesses shutting down and others remaining open.
B次元官网网址淭he municipality doesnB次元官网网址檛 enforce provincial orders. ThatB次元官网网址檚 outside of our jurisdiction and as you can see, businesses are able to advertise as they wish and function as they wish,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎s far as I know, we do not have the ability as a municipality to enforce or react to this kind of advertising or misinformation.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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