UPDATED AT 6 PM WED, DEC 16TH…..NEW COVID EXPOSURE SITE NOW LISTED IN PICTOU COUNTY
Andre’s Pizza on South Foord Street in Stellarton has been added to the potential COVID exposure notifications list, found here: http://www.nshealth.ca/covid-exposures. Anyone there one week ago, on December 10th and the next day, Friday, the 11th, is asked to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.
The Coronavirus risk took place between 2:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on the 10th, and between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m on the 11th If you were at Andre’s Pizza on those dates, you could develop COVID symptoms up to and including, Dec. 25th.
______________________________________________________________________________________
PREMIER AND DR. STRANG LAY DOWN THE LAW ON COVID FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS – GATHERINGS OF UP TO 10 PEOPLE PERMITTED, BUT ALWAYS THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE
Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, have announced that current restrictions in areas of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and Hants County are extended, and new restrictions will be in place provincewide over the holidays to curb the spread of COVID-19.
***New provincewide restrictions for gatherings, businesses and activities, as well as changes to long-term care restrictions will start Dec. 21st and be in place until Jan. 10th. “We know the holidays are traditionally a time for a lot of socializing with family and friends, but we also know that gatherings can allow the virus to spread rapidly,” said Premier McNeil. “We ask Nova Scotians to find new ways of celebrating this season while respecting these restrictions that are designed to keep our social gatherings small and our communities safe.”
Effective 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 21 to 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 10, the following restrictions are in place provincewide: For gatherings and events: gatherings in your home can have 10 people total, including the people who live there people can have a close social group of 10 without physical distancing social events, festivals, special events, arts/cultural events and sports events are not permitted faith gatherings, wedding ceremonies and funeral services can have a maximum of 150 people outdoors or 50 per cent of an indoor venue’s capacity, to a maximum of 100 wedding and funeral receptions are not permitted
For businesses: restaurants and licensed establishments, outside the areas of HRM and Hants County noted above, must stop service by 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m. Fitness and sport and recreation facilities can open facilities like gyms and yoga studios, which can operate at 50 per cent capacity and must ensure three metres distance between participants during high intensity activities
The current restrictions in areas of Halifax Regional Municipality and Hants County are extended until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 20th. The closure of restaurants and licensed establishments for dine-in service in these areas is extended until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 10th; they can continue to offer takeout and delivery service the Halifax casino will also remain closed until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 10
Outdoor fitness classes can operate at full capacity, but must ensure three metres distance between participants during high intensity activities. Personal services such as hair salons and spas can resume providing services that can only be done if the customer removes their mask, such as facials
Shopping mall rules currently in place for areas of HRM and Hants County will extend to the entire province, including operating at 25 per cent of their capacity; their food courts can remain open with public health measures in place including physical distance between tables
For sports, museums, libraries and long-term care: sports practices, training and arts and culture rehearsals are limited to 25 participants without physical distancing but games, tournaments and performances are not permitted. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, museums and libraries can reopen at full capacity with physical distancing and other public health measures in place each long-term care resident can have two designated caregivers and facilities can allow a limited number of visitors Nova Scotians are still asked to avoid any unnecessary travel.
There is no longer a recommendation specifically around travel into and out of areas of HRM and Hants County. “We want to let people have their holiday with loved ones but this holiday needs to be different to keep everybody safe,” said Dr. Strang. “We need to keep gatherings small, pull back on our social activity, and avoid crowds in the retail sector so that we don’t give this virus the opportunity to spread.”
Since vaccinations won’t likely be complete until September of 2021, the province is working with the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia on a pilot project for an app that dine-in restaurants and licensed establishments can use to collect patrons’ contact information for contact tracing. This will help standardize collection practices, ensure privacy of information, and reduce the burden on businesses. It will also improve public health’s ability to contact patrons as needed. The Department of Business is giving the association up to $100,000 for the project.
