N.S. health officials confirm Phase 2 of COVID-19 reopening plan will begin Wednesday
Health officials in Nova Scotia say the province will be moving into Phase 2 of its COVID-19 reopening plan on Wednesday, as expected.
"Our vaccination coverage is going up, our cases are coming down and we're ready to take the next step in easing restrictions," said Premier Rankin. "With Phase 2 of our reopening plan, more businesses are able to operate and Nova Scotians have more opportunity to get together socially. We are also able to open our borders to more travelers."
Once in Phase 2, Nova Scotians will be able to partake in more activities with smaller, well-managed groups. Indoor and outdoor activities, along with social gatherings, will also have restrictions eased.
"Nova Scotians have done the hard work and we are making good progress," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health. "COVID isn't gone, but our numbers are staying low, so we're able to take more steps to reopen in Phase 2. A series of small steps throughout our plan will get us to a good place so we can enjoy summer in Nova Scotia."
PHASE 2
Effective 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the following restrictions will be eased provincewide:
BUSINESSES AND SERVICES
- Personal services businesses (like hair salons, barber shops, spas, nail salons and body art establishments) can offer all services by appointment (no walk-in service), including services that require a client to remove their mask. They also need to follow their sector-specific plan.
RESTAURANTS, BARS AND CASINOS
- Casino Nova Scotia (Halifax and Sydney) and video lottery terminals (VLTs) can operate at 50 per cent capacity and need to follow public health measures like social distancing and masks. They can only serve food and alcohol until 11 p.m. and must close by 12 a.m.
- Liquor licensed (drinking) establishments (like bars, wineries, distillery tasting rooms and craft taprooms) can offer indoor and outdoor dining with a minimum physical distance of two metres (six feet) between tables. There is a maximum of 10 people (close social bubble) per table. Wearing a mask is required (except when you're eating or drinking). Liquor licensed (drinking) establishments can only serve dine-in customers until 11 p.m. and must close by 12 a.m. They can continue to offer take-out, delivery and drive-thru service after 12 a.m.
- Live music is permitted indoors and outdoors at restaurants and liquor licensed (drinking) establishments (like bars, wineries, distillery tasting rooms and craft taprooms) with one performer following the Guidelines for Musicians (PDF).
- Restaurants can offer indoor and outdoor dining with a minimum physical distance of 2 metres (six feet) between tables. There is a maximum of 10 people (close social bubble) per table. Wearing a mask is required (except when you're eating or drinking). Restaurants can only serve dine-in customers until 11 p.m. and must close by 12 a.m. They can continue to offer take-out, delivery and drive-thru service after 12 a.m.
RETAIL AND SHOPPING
- All retail stores can operate at 50 per cent of the store’s capacity (shoppers and staff) and need to follow the Health Protection Act Order, including public health measures like social distancing and masks.
- Households can have more than one designated shopper.
CONTINUING CARE
ADULT DAY PROGRAMS
- Community-based adult day programs for seniors and people with disabilities can resume and need to follow public health guidelines for their sector.
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES
- Long-term care residents can go for a walk off facility grounds and go through a drive-thru when going for a drive with a designated caregiver. Vaccinated residents can also leave the facility to visit outdoor public places (like parks).
- Recreational activities and personal services like hairstyling can resume within the facility for long-term care residents who are partially vaccinated or not vaccinated.
- Long-term care residents don’t need to be in the same groups for dining and group activities.
- Volunteers can resume their activities at long-term care facilities.
GATHERINGS AND SOCIAL CONTACTS
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SOCIAL GATHERINGS
- Informal social gathering limit indoors is up to 10 people (household members and visitors) without social distancing and masks.
- Informal social gathering limit outdoors is up to 25 people without social distancing.
MEETINGS
- Meetings and training (indoor and outdoor) - 25 per cent of the venue's capacity up to 50 people indoors and up to 75 people outdoors when meetings and training are hosted by a business or organization, including:
- provincial and municipal government
- private businesses and organizations
- first responder organizations (emergency first responders are exempt from social distancing when necessary)
- mental health and addictions support groups
- organized clubs
SPORTS AND PERFORMING ARTS
- Amateur performing arts rehearsals can have up to 10 people indoors and up to 25 people outdoors without social distancing. Masks are recommended when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of two metres (six feet) from others.
- Professional artists, musicians, dancers and actors can rehearse indoors with up to 15 people and outdoors with up to 25 people without social distancing. Wearing a mask is required indoors when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of two metres (six feet) from others (except during activities that are not possible while wearing a mask). Masks are recommended outdoors when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of two metres (six feet) from others.
- Sport games, competitions, tournaments, in-person performances and spectators are not permitted.
- Sports – Players, participants and officials in organized sports (recreational, amateur and professional) can practice and train with up to 10 people indoors and up to 25 people outdoors without social distancing. Masks are recommended when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of two metres (six feet) from others.
- Virtual events are permitted with a maximum of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors and need to follow their COVID-19 Prevention Plan.
WEDDINGS, FUNERALS AND FAITH GATHERINGS
- Drive-in faith services have no limit on the number of vehicles. You need to follow the informal indoor social gathering limit in your vehicle.
- Faith gatherings hosted by a business or organization - 25 per cent of the venue’s capacity up to 50 people indoors or 75 people outdoors with social distancing.
- Informal faith gatherings can have up to 10 people plus the person conducting the ceremony indoors and up to 25 people plus the person conducting the ceremony outdoors without social distancing.
- Informal wedding ceremonies and funerals (including receptions and visitation) can have up to 10 people plus the person conducting the ceremony indoors and up to 25 people plus the person conducting the ceremony outdoors without social distancing.
- Wedding ceremonies and funerals (including receptions and visitation) hosted by a business or organization - 25 per cent of the venue’s capacity up to 50 people indoors or 75 people outdoors with social distancing.
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Businesses and organizations offering a wide variety of indoor recreation and leisure activities (like climbing facilities, dance classes, escape rooms, indoor arcades, indoor play spaces and music lessons) can operate at 25 per cent capacity.
- Day camps (indoor and outdoor) can operate with up to 15 people (including staff and volunteers) in each individual camp group without social distancing and need to follow COVID-19 Return to Day Camp Guidelines (PDF).
- Fitness establishments (like gyms and yoga studios) and sport and recreation facilities (like pools, arenas, tennis courts and large multipurpose recreation facilities) can operate at 50 per cent capacity.
- Museums, libraries and Art Gallery Nova Scotia can operate at 25 per cent capacity and need to follow public health measures like social distancing and masks.
- Drive-in movie theatres can operate with no limit on the number of vehicles. You need to follow the informal indoor social gathering limit in your vehicle.
TRAVEL
TRAVEL WITHIN NOVA SCOTIA
- No restriction on travel within Nova Scotia (you can travel outside your community).
TRAVEL TO NOVA SCOTIA
- People from outside Nova Scotia can request a compassionate exception to enter Nova Scotia to attend a funeral or service (like a burial or celebration of life) for an immediate family member.
- Seasonal property owners and people moving to Nova Scotia permanently can apply to travel to Nova Scotia by completing the Safe Check-in Form and must self-isolate for 14 days when they arrive in Nova Scotia.
Each phase of Nova Scotia's reopening plan is based on COVID-19 activity, hospitalizations, vaccination rates and continued testing. Heading into Phase 2, 67 per cent of all Nova Scotians have at least one dose of vaccine, cases are in single digits and hospitalizations are decreasing
Details for all five phases of Nova Scotia's COVID-19 reopening plan can be found on its website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.