As the pandemic wears on, the B.C. government says it’s making it easier for people in remote communities to access healthcare.

Premier John Horgan says the province has added 55 new ambulances and seven new aircraft, to transfer people to more urban healthcare centres when they need it.

“People in rural, remote and Indigenous communities won’t have to worry about how they get there anymore, and that will relieve some of the burden emotionally as well as the burden financially. And we’re committed to moving patients at a moment’s notice, particularly at this difficult time of COVID-19.”

Horgan says if the province can’t build the facilities in rural and remote communities, it needs to make sure people in those areas can be transported to access healthcare.

Also during today’s announcement, Horgan and Indigenous Services Minister Scott Fraser say the province will be enabling rural residents to connect with healthcare workers by video-calling.

The province is also rolling out a COVID self-test kit to be distributed primarily to rural areas. It says the test takes less than 45 minutes to do.