HRM, Hants restrictions eased for Christmas
As COVID-19 case numbers drop, a loosening of restrictions beginning Dec. 21 means Christmas gatherings can be increased to 10 people for households in Halifax and Hants counties.
During a live update Wednesday, Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief medical officer of health, said there has been a shift in the second wave of COVID-19 recently.
"A month ago, COVID was very much a Halifax-based issue in a certain age demographic. We've now shifted. ... We're seeing pockets of COVID and individual cases with household contacts in communities across the province," he said.
The changes made it necessary to update the restrictions we now have in place, he said.
The change in restrictions for Halifax and Hants counties includes:
• gathering limits will increase from five people to 10 people with physical distancing in the Halifax and Hants counties to match the rest of the province. A household of 10 people can't have visitors. People can have a consistent close social circle of 10 and should stay away from spontaneous gatherings
• unnecessary travel will continue to be discouraged, but there will no longer be a recommendation specifically around travel into and out of HRM and Hants County
• the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, museums and libraries can reopen at full capacity with physical distancing and other public health measures in place
However, restaurants, bars, and other licensed establishments in HRM and Hants counties will continue to
be closed for dine-in until Jan. 10. In other parts of the province, these establishments will remain open for dine-in, but must stop service by 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m. The casino will also remain closed.
During the Wednesday briefing, Premier Stephen Mcneil said that the current COVID-19 restrictions in Halifax and Hants counties will continue until the end of Sunday, Dec. 20. The restrictions first came into effect in late November.
"COVID likes gatherings and it likes movement, so if you get together in big crowds and you house hop, COVID will want to join you," he said.
Until next Monday, the gathering limit will continue to be a maximum of five people. Organized sports, faith-based, and recreational activities won't resume. Fitness facilities, libraries and museums will continue to be closed. Licensed establishments will only be allowed to offer take-out and delivery.
Across the province, the following changes will come in place starting Dec. 21 until Jan. 10:
• a maximum of 10 people can gather at a home
• fitness, sport, and recreation facilities, such as gyms and yoga studios can open at 50 per cent capacity indoors. Outdoor classes will operate at full capacity. Both will require three metres 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
• retail stores and shopping malls across the province will operate at 25 per cent capacity. This is already in place in Halifax and Hants counties. Food courts can remain open with public health measures in place including physical distance between tables.
• social events, festivals, special events, arts and 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 allowed. Strang said they can be done with a maximum of 10 people at a home.
"You can still get together with your family. You can still share love and stories, but in smaller groups," said Mcneil.
Although the restrictions mean that holidays will look different this year, Strang said they're needed to curb the spread of the virus.
"We recognize that's hard for folks, but we are in the middle of a global pandemic and we need to expect things to be different," he said.
"I'd like to have everybody who's here today in Nova Scotia, be around next year. ... But to do that we need to make sure that we're all safe so we don't lose people along the way."
It was also announced there were four new cases of COVID-19 identified in Nova Scotia on Tuesday.
All cases are in the province's central zone, which includes Halifax, the Eastern Shore and West Hants. Three of the cases are close contacts of previously reported cases. The other case is under investigation.
As of Wednesday, the total number of active cases in the province 55, down two from yesterday's 57. Six more cases are considered resolved as of Tuesday, bringing the total number of resolved cases in the second wave to 286.
Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 2,232 Nova Scotia tests on Tuesday. Asymptomatic testing is available for people in Berwick on Wednesday.
Since Oct. 1, Nova Scotia has completed 91,747 tests. There have been 341 positive COVID-19 cases and no deaths.