B.C.’s health minister says the province wants to be able to expand visits to care homes, after restrictions were eased at the end of June.

Asked when that could happen, Adrian Dix says health officials are reviewing how the first month of visits went.

“I am pleased with the success we have had so far. We are investing an extraordinary effort to continue that and hopefully expand it,” he said, on Wednesday. “Our success in having visits in all long term care homes now is B.C. except those that are on outbreak protocol is dependent on our collective efforts.”

“There are 47,000 workers in long term care in B.C., and well over 100,000 people working in healthcare, and if there is a lot of COVID in the community, that affects people who work in healthcare.”

As it stands, residents are allowed visits by a designated visitor in a designated area and the visits need to be booked in advanced. Dix says the government started slow to keep everyone safe.

“And I know personally and in terms of all the contacts and all the people that I talked to who have family members in long term care or friends in long term care, how much it means,” he added. “I wouldn’t expect an announcement in the next week or so, but it is something that is under review.”

Earlier this month, Dix noted that all 563 B.C. care homes have their COVID-19 safety plans in place. Right now, the province says there are eight long-term care or assisted-living facilities that have active outbreaks along with one acute-care facility.