Nova Scotia enters second phase
Gathering, business restrictions eased across the province starting today
HALIFAX — Nova Scotians will be able to hug a loved one today and eat a restaurant meal indoors when the second phase of the province’s COVID-19 reopening plan kicks in.
The province released details on its COVID-19 reopening schedule Tuesday, which will allow larger groups to gather indoors and outdoors, as COVID-19 activity continued to decline.
The changes will come into effect at 8 a.m. today.
“Starting (today) you can expand your friends and family social circle,” said Premier Iain Rankin at a news briefing. “Ten can gather indoors with 25 outdoors. So for those of you who have been away from family, (today) you can give that long-awaited hug.”
Restaurants can open to patrons for indoor dining with a maximum of 10 people per table. All retail businesses can open to 50 per cent capacity with public health protocols being followed, and gyms and fitness facilities can also operate at 50 per cent capacity.
“To our businesses and organizations, thank you for your patience,” Rankin said. “I know this hasn’t been easy and you’ve endured a lot. You’ve helped us get through phase one of our reopening plan and get our active cases to below 100 at 97 (Tuesday). Now we can start to enter phase 2 on schedule and safely.”
The province announced an $18.2-million tourism restart package that will provide operators with new grant programs and marketing support as well as offering tourists more outdoor public attractions and free admission to provincial museums in July and August.
PHASE 2 BEGINS
Some of the other changes the reopening’s second phase that will come into effect today (the complete list can be found at https://novascotia. ca/reopening-plan/):
• Informal faith gatherings of up to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors plus officiants; drive-in services are still allowed with attendees following the informal indoor gathering limit in their vehicles.
• Personal services such as hair salons, barbershops and spas can operate by appointment only following their sector plan and can resume offering services that require removing the customer’s mask
• Fitness and recreation facilities such as gyms, yoga studios, pools and arenas can operate at 50 per cent capacity
• A wide variety of recreation and leisure businesses and organizations, such as dance classes, music lessons, escape rooms and indoor play spaces can operate at 25 per cent capacity
• Amateur arts and culture rehearsals and virtual or inperson performances can involve up to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors without physical distancing
• Professional arts and culture rehearsals and virtual or in-person performances can involve up to 15 people indoors and 25 outdoors without physical distancing
• Community-based adult day programs for seniors and for people with disabilities can resume following guidelines for their sector
• Long-term care residents can go for a walk off facility grounds and use drive-thrus when they go for a drive with a designated care provider; vaccinated residents can also access outdoor public areas such as a park
• Anyone who wants to permanently move to Nova Scotia and seasonal residents from outside the province who own property will be allowed entry. A 14-day quarantine is required.
FOUR NEW CASES
Nova Scotia reported four new cases of COVID-19, the lowest daily increase since April 16. Of the new cases reported Tuesday, three were in the central health zone and are close contacts of previous
cases. One case in the eastern zone is related to travel.
The number of active cases dropped to its lowest level since April 21 at 97 cases.
The number of people in hospital is unchanged at six with four in ICU.
“In deciding to move to the next phase, we continue to look at COVID-19 activity, hospitalizations, vaccination rates and ongong rates of testing,” said Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health, at the news briefing. “Right now all of these things are looking good, cases are low, hospitalizations are declining substantially and our testing — although we’d like it to be higher — is steady and our vaccine coverage continues to increase substantively.”
About 75 per cent of all those eligible for a vaccine have received their first shot.
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS TO EASE
Nova Scotia also announced the province will allow residents of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador to travel to Nova Scotia without having self-isolate for 14 days starting June 23.
Unlike some other provinces in the region, there will be no vaccination requirements attached to the entry rules.
“Opening to our Atlantic neighbours is the next big step,” Rankin said at the briefing. “There has been a lot of discussion between the premiers and our public health officials have had a number of conversations. This decision was not made lightly but after much consideration, we believe we can open to our Atlantic neighbours on June 23 and it is the best alignment we have been able to achieve in our discussions.”
The decision came in consultation with Strang and his public health team after evaluating the level of COVID-19 activity.
“Given case numbers and vaccine rates within the Atlantic provinces, I’m comfortable we can take this step safely,” Strang said.
Nova Scotia is continuing talks with the three other Atlantic provinces on how to coordinate timing to open to the rest of Canada. Nova Scotia is on track to open to the rest of Canada no later than July 14.
The other Atlantic provinces also updated their travel rules Tuesday:
• Prince Edward Island will allow entry to Atlantic Canadians who have been at least partially vaccinated on June
23. P.E.I. will open its borders to the rest of Canada on July 28 and people with two vaccine doses will be exempt from the isolation process.
• Newfoundland and Labrador also will accept Atlantic Canadians on June 23 with no requirement to self-isolate. Fully vaccinated Canadians will be allowed in without testing or isolation requirements on July 1. Partially vaccinated Canadians must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result administered within three days of their departure date, or self-isolate following arrival until receipt of a negative test result.
• New Brunswick said effective Wednesday no isolation or testing will be required for those travelling to the province from Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, the Avignon and Témiscouata regions of Quebec and Cumberland County in Nova Scotia. All other Nova Scotians must self-isolate. New Brunswick will allow all Atlantic Canadians to visit on July 1 without self-isolation, testing or vaccination requirements. Travellers from the rest of Canada and Maine will be allowed if they’re at least partially vaccinated.