B.C. health officials emphasize safe ways to celebrate Diwali during COVID spike

With new health orders in place due to COVID-19 cases spiking in the Lower Mainland, community advocates and health officials are recommending celebrating a virtual Diwali this year.

Last Saturday, Provincial Health OfficerDr. Bonnie Henry introduced new orders forthe Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions areas of the province with almost three million residents.

The restrictionswill overlap withDiwali this year, which falls on Nov.14. The multi-faith festival of lights, which is celebrated by manyin the South Asian disapora, is usually a time of celebration and family get-togethers.

The COVID-19 ordersmeanpeoplein the two regions arenot to have social interactions with anyone outside of their immediate households. Travel to and from the region isbeen discouraged.

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On Monday, Dr. Henry further clarified the orders, telling people to postponesocial gatherings, cancelplay dates, workfrom home whenever possible and pausenon-essential travel.

Anita Huberman, the CEO of Surrey's Board of Trade, says the holiday is a very important event for Surrey andBritish Columbia, butrising COVID numbers make the celebration a concern.

"Diwali is a huge concern because it is a festival. A gathering. A festival of families. But we need to make this short-term sacrifice today for a better tomorrow,"Huberman said.

Both Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health have listed Diwali-specific recommendations. These include:

• Only celebratingwith people you live with in your home. Do not invite guests.
• Connect virtuallywith extended family. Say no to invitations.
• Wear a mask when shopping for gifts, decorations, food.
• Join live-streamed prayers instead of visiting the temple in person and lightthe Divaa or Diya at home.
• Share food safely. If you are preparing festive meals for your household, use individual servings, and place sweets and appetizers on separate plates for each person.

On Vancouver Island, which are not covered by the stricter COVIDrestrictions,Sridevi Ganti, the public relations officer for the Victoria Hindu Temple, says celebrations this year will still be virtual.

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The temple will be open, but devotees are asked to come in, pray, pick up their sweets, and leave quickly.

"We're trying not to eat at the temple, at the premises, so that we want to keep it safe for everyone. We have sanitizers set up at every station and we are wanting all the people that come in to wear masks as well," Ganti said.

Diwali, she says, is a time of renewal and celebrating goodness over evil.

"We want to bring light over darkness, and with COVID, we also want the evil COVID to leave and bring goodness in our lives back again that's what I'm wishing for," Ganti said.