VICTORIA -- Safe ways to increase social and economic contacts in British Columbia will form the basics of a plan to start relaxing provincial pandemic restrictions that have kept people close to their homes since mid-March, says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Premier John Horgan, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Henry are set to announce B.C.'s plans to begin easing restrictions as COVID-19 case numbers continue to decline in the province.

People must get back to work and families, friends and communities need to tighten the social fabric, but it must be done safely to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19, Henry said Monday at a news conference.

“This is, I believe, the end of the beginning of our pandemic,” she said. “It is our curve and we can continue to push it down and keep it there. It is in our hands as long as we don't forget to wash them.”

Henry said modelling data tracking COVID-19 in B.C. from Jan. 1 to April 29 reveals the spread of the virus has been declining since physical distancing measures were introduced, and schools, restaurants and bars were closed in mid-March.

She said the data suggests B.C. could move towards a doubling of the current rate of contacts most people have with others without causing a spike in COVID-19 cases but returning to pre-pandemic lifestyles of last year could be dangerous.

“If we go back to December, where we were having lots of gatherings where people meet, where this virus has the opportunity to take off quite rapidly, we could expect to see just that,” said Henry. “Our challenge and our work together is to find that sweet spot.”

B.C. reported 53 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths since Saturday.

Henry said B.C. now has a total of 2,224 positive COVID-19 cases of which 1,417 people have recovered.

She said the provincial death total is now at 117 people. The three most recent deaths are people who were residents of long-term care centres, Henry said.

B.C.'s successes in slowing the spread of COVID-19 gives the province room to reopen more sectors of the economy, she said.

“Physical distancing, it has made a difference,” said Henry. “It has allowed us to put the brakes on COVID-19 but we haven't stopped the car. There's so much we actually don't know about this virus.”

She said more details about the government's plans to reopen B.C. will be introduced Wednesday, but she offered some directions those plans could take.

Henry said effective moves by grocery stores to protect workers and customers with plastic shields separating the cashier from customer, limits on number of people in stores and physical distancing in aisles could be implemented at other retail outlets and restaurants and bars.

But Henry said the restrictions on the size of gatherings of people will not be lifted.

“Some of the things we'll not be changing is the near future are the orders, for example, on the numbers of people who can congregate together,” she said. “Right now, that's at 50. Smaller is better, outside is safer than inside.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2020.