A North Delta yoga studio has had its business licence suspended after the city received complaints the business wasnB次元官网网址檛 taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously.
The City of DeltaB次元官网网址檚 bylaw enforcement department received numerous complaints after an email from Bikram Yoga Delta to its clients claiming the novel coronavirus B次元官网网址渃annot survive in the heatB次元官网网址� in the studio made the rounds on social media, sparking outrage among many North Delta residents.
The email opened by thanking everyone who was still attending classes at the studio B次元官网网址� where people perform a series of 26 yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises over 90 minutes in a room heated to 40 C B次元官网网址� before making a series of claims about the benefits of continuing to practice hot yoga during the COVID-19 pandemic.
B次元官网网址淔act B次元官网网址� This supposed virus cannot survive in the heat,B次元官网网址� the email reads, before going on to say that B次元官网网址淏ikram Hot Yoga is the best way to keep your immune system healthy and/or best way to build and improve your immune system to fight fluB次元官网网址檚 (sic), colds, bacteria and viruses.B次元官网网址�
The email goes on to say the B次元官网网址渄rastic slowdown in attendance by everyone being paralized (sic) into a fear state of mindB次元官网网址� means the studio will be reducing classes B次元官网网址渦ntil the worldwide non-sense subsides.B次元官网网址�
On Thursday, March 19, the City of Delta declared a local state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The move enable Mayor George Harvie to enact powers necessary to enforce the Provincial Health OfficerB次元官网网址檚 verbal order to limit public gatherings and practice social distancing.
In a press release, the city said it would be taking immediate actions against any businesses that refuse to abide by the Provincial Health OfficerB次元官网网址檚 directions, including closing the business and suspending its business licence.
B次元官网网址淭hese are challenging times for residents and businesses in our community. By declaring a local state of emergency, we have additional abilities to protect the community. I have asked our bylaws department to enforce closures on some businesses that are not following the direction of our Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry,B次元官网网址� Harvie said in a statement Thursday afternoon.
B次元官网网址淚 continue to work with all of council, staff, and senior government officials to protect this community from the impact of COVID-19.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: (March 19, 2020)
That same afternoon, Delta bylaw inspectors following up on the publicB次元官网网址檚 complaints visited Bikram Yoga Delta, finding a class in progress.
B次元官网网址淭he owner indicated he was planning to hold another class later in the day and was not prepared to voluntarily comply with a request to cancel classes in light of the state of emergency related to the spread of a potentially deadly virus,B次元官网网址� Hugh Davies, manager of property use and compliance with the City of Delta, said in an email.
B次元官网网址淢ayor Harvie, acting in the interest of the community and under the authority of the emergency provincial program, directed bylaw inspectors to revisit the business and suspend the current Delta business licence. The business licence was subsequently suspended and the owner was provided with written notice.
B次元官网网址淭he owner did co-operate and comply with the suspension, and the evening class was cancelled.B次元官网网址�
Asked about the emailB次元官网网址檚 claims during her daily press briefing on Thursday, March 19, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry debunked the notion that the heat in the studio will kill the virus.
B次元官网网址淵oga studios are a place where people are sweating in close next to each other B次元官网网址� at least the ones I go to B次元官网网址� and that is a perfect environment to spread this virus if somebody is shedding this virus,B次元官网网址� she said.
Henry said the claim probably stems from a misinterpretation of the science around the relationship some viruses have with the environment.
B次元官网网址淩espiratory viruses like influenza, like some of the other coronaviruses that weB次元官网网址檝e seen, tend to fade away when it gets warmer and we have increased amounts of ultraviolet light during the spring and summer time. So we donB次元官网网址檛 see influenza, it just disappears, as it were, around this time of year,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the things weB次元官网网址檝e really been pushing is we need to save our system until at least influenza goes away, and if weB次元官网网址檙e lucky this coronavirus may fade as well, it may wane away in the coming weeks.
B次元官网网址淲e know that some other respiratory viruses do that and theyB次元官网网址檙e sensitive to the heat in our environment and to ultraviolet light. But thatB次元官网网址檚 not in a room or in an enclosed environment.B次元官网网址�
Henry said UV light does work to eliminate some bacteria and viruses in health care settings, B次元官网网址渂ut itB次元官网网址檚 very intense UV light for many hours, so thatB次元官网网址檚 not an option.B次元官网网址�
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