While B.C.’s top doctor says a continuing decline in COVID-19 cases could mean the green light for vacations in the province soon, the premier is urging people to still be responsible.

“You know, if people want to book arrangements at their favourite place in B.C., they certainly can do that now, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get there,” John Horgan said. “We need to follow this very closely. We have had success in B.C. because people have done this together.”

Horgan says he understands that people are getting antsy to travel as the summer approaches, noting that more restrictions could be eased if COVID-19 case numbers stay low. He notes it wasn’t that long ago that leaders in places that depend on tourism, like Tofino and Bella Coola, were telling people to stay home.

“We can’t lose sight of the road we’ve travelled. We’ve all worked really hard to get here, and we can’t just flick a switch and get back to normal,” Horgan added. “It has to be gradual.”

Horgan has already ruled out a regional easing of COVID-19 restrictions, noting that for now there is one plan to reopen every corner of the province at the same time.

“I don’t want to give people false hope – anything can happen,” he said. “This is a dynamic virus that has affected different parts of the world differently, and we’re in good shape today because of the collective efforts of British Columbians. They need to hold the course until we can safely say, its time to move around.”

There are no confirmed active COVID-19 cases in the Interior, Northern and Vancouver Island Health regions. Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer, says measures such as hand washing and physical distancing has brought down the number of COVID-19 cases.

She notes health officials will be closely watching case numbers over the coming days to determine when B.C. could move toward the next phase of its reopening plan.