The leaders of some of B.C.’s tourist hot spots have an unusual message, as the province and beyond grapples with the novel coronavirus: “Please stay away.” It comes as federal and provincial leaders, along with public health officials, advise people to stay home as much as possible to help stop the spread of COVID-19. “Please stay home in your home community at this time,” Gibsons Mayor Bill Beamish told Global News by Skype. “Because even though you have those cottages and properties here, we do not have the services that can support an influx of people.” The message is resonating for the most part, Beamish said, with streets in his Sunshine Coast community largely empty and ferry traffic significantly down. [ Sign up for our Health IQ