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More than 300 doctors are pleading with you to stay home. Now.

On Sunday, 314 doctors and health-care professionals from across the province pleaded with the public to stay home and help flatten the COVID-19 curve, in an urgent public letter.

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The letter cites urgent recommendations from B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry for the public to stay home to prevent possible spread and infection of the novel coronavirus.

“Many of you are already adhering to these recommendations. But many of you are not,” the letter reads.

Henry had called for British Columbians to practice social distancing – maintaining at least two metres or six feet away from other individuals that are not in your household or family – in an effort to cut down on chances for the virus to spread.

“We’ve all heard stories in the last few days of groups of people gathering at parties, basketball games and beaches, despite the urging of officials to stay at home. Perhaps some people do not believe they will become sick, or don’t understand that they can carry and spread the virus to more compromised members of our society. This lack of action will cost lives. Please trust the experts and stay home.”

The letter goes on to say doctors “fear an influx of patients that the system cannot handle.”

“We fear for our patients and the need to make decisions about who will get the necessary equipment to survive. We fear for our own safety and the safety of our families,” the letter reads.

“We are telling all residents of BC what we have been telling those we love for a week: STAY HOME. RESTRICT CONTACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.”

The group of doctors goes on to address government, adding that stricter measures have their full support.

“This is a threat that hopefully comes along only once in a lifetime. We are asking every resident in every community to do their part to help us stop this virus,” the letter concludes.

“When we look back on this unprecedented time in our history, how did you act?”

The letter is followed by three pages of signatures, including doctors from across the B.C. region and various hospitals.

Read the letter and the signatures in full below.

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