Essential services, or not: as are most businesses nationwide, The Herald is feeling the effects of COVID-19.

As of our April 9 edition, we will temporarily be moving to a strictly digital copy, available on our website through ISSUU, while new news items will continuously be added to the web page.

These are measures that have not been taken lightly: our staff has been working to find ways to still provide to the Merritt community up-to-date and breaking news, while maintaining social distancing.

We feel, at this time, that this is the most appropriate measure. Anyone with internet access will still be able to see a full, laid-out newspaper from the comfort of their home, without having to worry about outside contact.

We would like to address, at this time, that the paper is almost purely mechanically produced: human contact is minimal in its creation. However, it is the health and safety of our carriers, as well as those who they may come in contact with along their routes, that are foremost our concern.

These are strange times, indeed: it is unprecedented that our newspaper will not be in print format. As you can see on the front page of each and every week’s edition, we have been The Voice of Nicola Valley Since 1905. This will not change. We will continue to be so in our temporary online format.

The news will still be linked to our Facebook page as well, with links to our website. If you would like to subscribe via email, without a fee, please send a message to [email protected] .

A shout to our fellow local businesses, both still open and those closed: let’s continue to support each other, through this pandemic and once it subsides.