An online petition seeking to limit access to Vancouver Island during the COVID-19 outbreak continues to gain momentum, despite a dramatic drop in B.C. Ferries traffic over the long weekend.

By Monday afternoon, more than 38,000 people had signed the change.org document that calls for tougher restrictions on travel.

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“B.C. Ferries should be limited to essential services and implement restricted access for residents who are trying to return home to their families,” the petition says.

“This needs to work both ways … residents from Vancouver Island shouldn’t be travelling to the mainland if it’s not essential.”

The petition picked up steam over the Easter long weekend amid a flurry of social-media posts and news reports raising concerns about ferry traffic.

Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP Paul Manly of the Green Party joined the fray by calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to restrict all non-essential travel on B.C. Ferries’ routes.

“This can no longer just be a request for people to stay home,” he said. “The government needs to restrict travel and enforce that restriction.”

B.C. Ferries, however, reported Monday that the number of passengers was down 92 per cent on major routes from Thursday to Sunday compared to Easter 2019. Vehicle traffic declined 82 per cent.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the dramatic drop showed B.C. is united in keeping “its firewall strong” across the province.

She added that there are many reasons why people still need to use the ferries, such as workers returning home at the end of the week.

“Essential travel is still required to keep our province going, to make sure that we have the food, the medications, the things that we need in all parts of the province,” she said.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said there were undoubtedly some cases of people travelling unnecessarily.

But he said instances of people skirting the rules may receive more attention these days, because most people are obeying the health directives to stay home and practice social distancing.

“And of course, it’s not perfect, and maybe it can’t be perfect. At least it’s not perfect yet,” he said.

“But I remain amazed and respectful at the same time of all those British Columbians who are sacrificing so much in this cause.

“It is humbling that our whole communities have been involved and we have to stay that way.”

B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said the corporation transported 14,500 people on its major routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland from Sunday to Thursday. That’s compared to 173,000 passengers on the Easter long weekend in 2019.

Passenger traffic was down 86 per cent on the Salt Spring Island routes.

Marshall said it’s clear the majority of British Columbians are thinking seriously about public-health and the need to do what they can to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There may have been some people travelling,” she said. “But truly, when you look at those vast numbers, the majority of people are getting the message they need to stay at home.”