HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia health has released guidelines for safely commemorating Remembrance Day during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While we may not be gathering the way we are used to, there are things people can do to make sure Remembrance Day ceremonies stay safe,” said a tweet from the official Nova Scotia Government account.
The guidelines recommend hosting a virtual Remembrance Day ceremony instead of an in-person ceremony.
They also recommend that because some veterans and members are vulnerable to COVID-19 in-person ceremonies should be by invitation only, and the number of people should be reduced below the following gathering limits:
- Ceremonies held by a recognized business or organization can have up to 250 people attend outdoors, or 50% of an indoor venue’s capacity, to a maximum of 200 people.
- Ceremonies held by a community group that is not a recognized business or organization can have a maximum of 50 people, indoors or outdoors.
Non-medical masks must be worn at any indoor ceremonies, and physical distancing of six feet must be maintained at ceremonies, except in bubbles of 10.
N.S. health says any musical performers must be physically distanced, and attendees should not sing along.
They also recommend that any wreaths should be placed in advance of the ceremony.
N.S. health also recommended designating a separate entrance and exit for the ceremony venue, and recording names and contact information of all attendees.
Anyone who is feeling unwell or self-isolating should not attend a ceremony.
The Royal Canadian Legion - National Headquarters will livestream this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony on their Facebook page, which will start at approximately 11:45 a.m. Atlantic.
The Stadacona band will mark Remembrance Day virtually.
The band has already pre-recorded a 45 minute concert that will play on Facebook.
They didn't want COVID to cancel their concert.
"If we were to let it impact how we remember those who sacrificed themselves that would be a shame," said Stadacona band member Blythe Heywood.
In Saint John, the ceremony In TD Station is cancelled, but organizers invented a new salute. They’re inviting people to drive by the veterans who will gather outside TD Station.
At Grand Parade in Halifax, the ceremony is only open to those invited.
Organizers expect fewer than 50 people, but are still encouraging the public to remember anyway.
"At 11 o’clock, you know you can just go out and stand quietly on your deck for 2 minutes," said Marion Fryday-Cook, the president of the Nova Scotia Nunavut Command of the Royal Canadian Legion. "Think reverently of those who have died and those who gave their life and those who came home wounded, right?"
And you will also have a way to view ceremonies through CTV.
We’ll be live-streaming the ceremony at Grande Parade on our website and also broadcasting the national ceremony out of Ottawa on both CTV and CTV 2.