B.C.’s top doctor is hinting that some of the current COVID-19 restrictions might be eased sometime in April.

Dr. Bonnie Henry suggests outdoor gatherings and small indoor gatherings could be allowed at some point next month, as vaccine distribution slowly ramps up.

“But we’re not there yet. And we don’t yet have enough vaccine, or enough people protected, that we can let our guard down,” Henry says.

“We need to all hold on for a little bit longer. We are now in those final miles of this marathon. We know there’s an end point in sight. And it is weeks and months, not some nebulous grey, next year, maybe.”

Current restrictions have been in place since late November, and most notably ban events, social gatherings of any size and youth and adult sports.

The province is spreading out first and second COVID-19 vaccine doses to four months, which Henry is safe to do and will allow more people to get vaccinated sooner.

Between April 12 and July 31, a stretch of three-and-a-half months, the province expects to offer a vaccine dose to everyone in B.C. who is between 18 and 79 years old.