Safer Social Interactions

Limit social activities to the people you live with. If you live alone, you can continue to spend time with one or two people from a different household. Essential visits can continue.

Last updated: February 5, 2021

Social interaction and getting together with others in person and online is important to our wellbeing. At this time, British Columbians must limit in-person social gatherings to the people they live with. This is not the time to invite friends or family over to your home and do not go to someone else’s home for a social visit. Using technology, such as video calls, to keep in touch with friends and family is a good option right now. Learn more about the province-wide restrictions.

What if I live alone?
If you live alone, you can spend time with one or two people who live in a different household who are part of your core "bubble" such as a partner, relative, close friend, or co-parent. Keep these people consistent and think of them as your immediate household.

Examples of social activities that should be avoided

Having people over to your home or visiting people you don’t live with at their home or vacation rental, indoors or outdoors such as for games, dinner or a backyard hangout.
Playdates for children
Hosting events or receptions indoors or outdoors
Party buses and group limousines

Examples of essential visits that can continue

Providing care or services such as child care, tutoring, cleaning, repairs or moving.

Getting Together Outside

You can go for a walk, bike ride or snow shoe outdoors with a friend or family member you don’t live with if you can maintain a safe physical distance. Make sure these activities do not turn into social gatherings with a group meeting outside.

All outdoor or indoor sports for adults, meaning people 22 years and older, have been suspended. All youth outdoor and indoor sport must follow viaSport's Return to Sport Phase 2 guidance with respect to maintaining physical distance for participants. This means games, tournaments and competitions are temporarily suspended but individual drills and modified training can continue. No spectators are allowed for sports activities. There should be no travel to, from and between communities for team athletic activities, however, athletes can travel to their home club if their home club is outside of their immediate community. Learn more about the current restrictions and sports.

Getting Together Inside

Host virtual meetings, hangouts, family dinners or playdates for your kids to stay in touch.

You can continue to engage in social activities like going to a restaurant with the people you live with.

Restaurants

You should only visit a restaurant with people in your household or core bubble if you live alone. Remember, a maximum of six people at a table. You will be required to wear a mask when you are not seated at a table.

Remember – the less time you spend inside the better!

To make eating in restaurants safer

Pick a restaurant that has an outdoor patio.
Pick a restaurant that has windows that open, good ventilation and lots of space between tables.
Try not to share condiments. Some restaurants offer single-use condiments, so you don’t have to touch shared ones.
Choose separate meals; avoid sharing food and utensils and avoid family style eating when possible. If this is not feasible, ask for separate sets of serving utensils to allow sharing safely
Wash your hands when you get to the restaurant, and before you leave (or use hand sanitizer if hand washing is not possible).
Opt for takeout and eat outside or at home.

Shopping and paying

Wearing a non-medical, cloth mask, is now required by both staff and customers in all indoor public spaces such as shopping malls, grocery stores, and other retail settings.

Money carries lots of germs because so many people touch it. Although there are no documented cases or clusters related to COVID-19 transmission by cash and coin payment, you should clean your hands often if you deal with money.

Here are some easy ways to increase the safety of paying for items when you’re shopping:

Call or email the store ahead of time to ask if you can pre-pay and get your receipt electronically. Pick up your items quickly and maintain social distancing.
Try to use touch-free payment methods when possible, such as debit cards, credit cards, or mobile phones.

Gyms and fitness

Staying active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and many people during this time are opting to exercise outdoors rather than go to their local gym or fitness facility. Exercising outdoors (on your own) is the safest option, but if you choose to go to the gym there are a few things to remember.

High intensity group physical activities including spin classes, aerobics, hot yoga and high intensity interval training (HIIT) are suspended for now. Low intensity indoor group physical activities may now resume if gyms and recreation centres follow the new guidelines. Learn more about the recent orders on physical activity and gyms. Some gyms and recreation facilities may be offering virtual group fitness activities.

Gyms and recreation facilities that offer individual workouts and personal training sessions remain open.

When you pack a bag to go to the gym, make sure to bring items that you might normally use communally.

A full water bottle
Hand sanitizer to ensure you have a way to clean your hands between the use of different pieces of equipment (if hand washing is not possible).
Personal items for use in the change rooms (such as hairdryers, deodorant, soaps, etc.).
Your own towel (rather than those provided by a linen service).
If you use equipment during your workout, bring your own if possible (such as helmets, racquets, goggles, yoga mats, gloves, weight belts, ankle guards, etc.)

When at the gym, don’t share water bottles or other drinks, choose exercises that keep you in the same spot and at least 2 metres away from others, and clean or disinfect equipment after use – wait for equipment surfaces to air dry naturally before using. Wash your hands before and after a workout and use hand sanitizer when transitioning between pieces of equipment.

If you use the services of a personal trainer, consider the use of technology for virtual training where possible. If you are meeting with your trainer in person, avoid physical contact during sessions and maintain physical distance. Avoid activities that necessitate close contact (e.g., needing spotters during weight training, sparring in martial arts, and games in contact sports).

Remember

Physical distancing is always important when you are with people outside your social group. Keeping a physical distance is the most effective way of preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Be patient – you might have to wait longer than usual – for bathrooms, shops or restaurants, or for your children to use playground equipment.
Avoid spending time in person if someone is feeling unwell - If any member of your household or social group is sick, or thinks they might be sick, they should not be spending time, in person, with others. People who have symptoms should refer to the COVID-19 testing information to determine if testing is appropriate and follow self-isolation guidelines.
Keep a record of the people you spend time with – in the event someone does get COVID-19, knowing who you spent time with and where you've been will help public health with contact tracing.
Practice good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Try to have hand sanitizer with you when you go out and cough or sneeze into your elbow. Wash your hands before you leave your home and as soon as you return.

Additional Resources

Good Times Guide: A playbook for how to have fun and to keep each other safe and healthy.
Safer Celebrations: Information to consider to help make celebrations safer for everyone.