St. John’s success a blueprint for Halifax

A sudden surge in COVID-19 cases, including many from the highly infectious B.1.1.7 U.K. variant. An Atlantic Canadian city under lockdown. Authorities trying to regain control of a potentially disastrous scenario.

That was the St. John's metro area in early February.

At its worst, 244 new cases were recorded in five days. Health officials feared a runaway outbreak.

Within a month, however, Newfoundland and Labrador health officials reported things had been contained. Daily cases returned to the single digits. Crisis averted.

How? Vigilance, patience and kindness. Vigilance, as authorities urged anyone with a single symptom, or possible contact with other cases, to get tested.

Patience, as Premier Andrew Furey asked the public in a Feb. 12 briefing to “dig deeper” and work together to stop the outbreak in its tracks.

And, finally, kindness. Newfoundlanders, understanding they were all in this together, largely complied. It worked.

Now, Nova Scotia's Halifax region is facing a similar crisis. But with vigilance, patience and kindness, Nova Scotians can also get through this.

Daily COVID-19 cases have surged there to levels not seen for a year; 44 new cases alone were announced Friday, 33 in greater Halifax.

In response, the N.S. government has announced sweeping lockdown measures for Halifax Regional Municipality and area, including barring nonessential travel in and out of HRM and limiting most gatherings to five people. All school students must wear masks.

As in this province, Nova Scotia is attempting to choke off opportunities for COVID-19 to spread, while maximizing testing.

Even those without symptoms are being urged to get tested, particularly anyone with large numbers of contacts. Pop-up rapid testing sites have been added.

Testing is vital to get a handle on the virus's spread. Because some people can have COVID-19 yet not show symptoms, it's important to identify them so they don't unknowingly infect others.

“We've done this before and we can do it again,” Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin said Friday.

Of course, there's understandable public frustration and even anger, amid pandemic fatigue, about the return to lockdown.

Those who haven't followed guidelines for selfisolation and social distancing have unquestionably contributed to the current crisis.

Before lashing out, however, remember the vast majority of the thousands cleared to travel in and out of the region do obey the rules. They're as frustrated as anyone about the few who put everyone at risk.

If we work together — and continue to vaccinate as many as possible — we can still reinflate the Atlantic bubble.