Health
Covid Spike
In Nova Scotia
Graphic (Source: Social Media)
Nova Scotia Premier, Stephen McNeil
(Source: Covid 19 Media Update At Province House)
(Source: Covid 19 Media Update At Province House)
While the new restrictions are set to take effect at midnight Monday, November 23rd, the Nova Scotia Premier Stephen MacNeil reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on November 22, which makes a total of 44 active cases in the province. Six of the 11 new cases are in the central area related to previously reported cases, and the other 5 cases are still being investigated.
On Friday, November 20th, Premier MacNeil and Dr. Robert Strang announced the following changes in a statement to the media. From Nov. 23 to Dec. 21, the gathering restrictions will be as follows:
"Starting Monday, people living in parts of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and Hants County must reduce their social gatherings from 10 to 5. From Nov. 23 to Dec. 21, the gathering restrictions will be as follows: 5 people can gather in a close social group without physical distancing, down from 10, a household may have more than 5 members but they may only go outside the home in groups of five, households can only have a maximum of five visitors at a time, onsite gatherings at long-term care facilities can have a maximum of 5 people (including residents and staff), down from 10, adult day programs for seniors who live in the community will not be allowed, 25 people, down from 50, can gather with physical distancing for informal indoor and outdoor social events like a neighborhood street party, indoor events run by a recognized business or organization can have 50 percent of the venue´s capacity to a maximum of 100 people with physical distancing, down from 200, and outdoor events run by a recognized business or organization can have 150 people with physical distancing, down from 250.
The new gathering limits will apply in all of HRM except the areas east of Porters Lake to Ecum Secum. The limits will also apply to the Enfield and Mount Uniacke areas in both HRM and Hants County. The limits do not apply in Elsmdale and communities north."
To date, Nova Scotia has had a very low rate of COVID-19 cases and has the envy of many jurisdictions in Canada along with the rest of the world. Dr. Strang recently announced that we are now in the beginning of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and we can no longer take for granted that our infection numbers will remain low. He strongly reiterated that we all must follow the Public Health guidelines not only to protect ourselves but also to protect those around us.
Stephen McNeil recently said in his remarks, "If cases in the province continue to climb, I won´t think twice about shutting down the economy again. Some people are not taking this virus seriously. If this behavior continues we are going to be in a position to shut our economy down again,“ said McNeil. “I don´t want to do that, but I´m not going to watch COVID overtake a community.“
Sobering thoughts for all residents of Nova Scotia reminding everyone what is at stake.
For more info, visit https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/county-restrictions.
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