VICTORIA - The B.C. government has brought in a new law to give its public health officials the tools they need to protect people in the event of a global epidemic or natural disaster.
The Public Health Act replaces outdated legislation, which in some cases goes back to the 1890's.
Health Minister George Abbott says the bill is aimed at modernizing rules and regulations to better deal with communicable diseases and respond to emergencies.
He says the SARS outbreak a few years ago was the most recent example, but avian flu remains a huge a huge concern and this will help protect the public in the event of a pandemic.
Under the new legislation, public health officials will also be able to quarantine an entire plane of passengers, or everyone in a building, and order them to be sequestered without the paper work that would be needed under the existing act.
The law will also allow officials to deal with other health hazards more effectively, and address chronic disease and injury prevention.
