Province enters Phase 2 of its reopening

This week Nova Scotians are seeing COVID-19 restrictions easing further and an evolving approach to testing and case and contact management.

At 12:01 a.m. on March 7, Phase 2 of the Province's reopening plan began. The main changes are increases in gathering and capacity limits.

The province is also recommending the use of rapid tests to help protect people at increased risk of severe disease. People who are older or immunocompromised, and those who live with them or are around them, are encouraged to do occasional or regular rapid testing, even if they don't have symptoms.

“Epidemiology is improving and restrictions are gradually lifting, but the pandemic is not over and we need to continue to evolve our testing strategy,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotians can also protect themselves and the vulnerable people in their circles by continuing to follow other precautions like staying home when sick, wearing masks, practising good hand hygiene and physical distance, and carefully choosing activities and social groups. Rapid tests continue to be available in communities at pop-up sites, family resource centres and some libraries.

People who have symptoms or wish to get tested as household contacts should continue to complete the online self-assessment and book appointments for either PCR tests or to pick up rapid tests as directed on the province's COVID website.

Changes to isolation requirements for people with COVID-19 and their contacts are also now in effect. Regardless of age or vaccination status, people who test positive will need to isolate for seven days from when their symptoms began (or from the date of their positive test if they did not have symptoms).

They can stop isolating on the eighth day as long as they don't have symptoms or symptoms are improving and they've had no fever for 24 hours.

They will no longer be asked to notify any contacts outside their homes. There will no longer be isolation or testing requirements for contacts who do not have symptoms.

Contacts of people who test positive for COVID-19 are not required to isolate or get tested, but should monitor for symptoms.

If the contact lives with the person who tests positive, the contact is not required to isolate or get tested but should monitor for symptoms and testing is recommended.

People who live with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 and develops symptoms will need to isolate and test immediately, and then do a second test 72 hours later.

If using rapid tests, a third test is required 48 hours after the second.

People can leave isolation if all tests are negative, symptoms are improving and they've had no fever for 24 hours.