Nova Scotians enjoying warm weather as the province slowly reopens
People of all ages were out enjoying the weather this weekend in Nova Scotia.
"We're feeling so excited to be out and about today, just enjoying the sun. We're going to head to the beach. So, we're going to rent a car and head there now and just enjoy the sun for the day,” said Rachel Moran.
This is the first weekend since the end of April that Nova Scotia hasn’t been in a lockdown.
"It's just honestly refreshing seeing a hustle and bustle downtown so we're just you know, going to get a little steam on a patio,” said Ausha Whiting.
"We're feeling pretty good. Everybody seems like they're behaving themselves so we're looking forward to finding a patio and getting some sun,” said Iain MacLeod
On Wednesday, the province officially started the first phase of a cautious five phase reopening plan.
There are 224 active COVID cases in Nova Scotia. 18 new cases were reported Saturday, along with 45 recoveries.
The lower case count has many Nova Scotians feeling more comfortable getting out.
"Cases are down significantly, more people are being vaccinated and I am comfortable even though I am immunocompromised, I am comfortable with a mask on being out and about,” said Dawn Maxwell.
"Obviously, the government knows what they're doing and if they feel it's ready, that we can go out and around then lets just stay safe and do our part and keep things sanitized and kind of go around and yeah, enjoy it,” said Sophee Gray.
"As long as the numbers keep going down, we having that downward trend, I feel fine going out and being around other people,” said MacLeod.
Although the COVID case count has dropped significantly in recent weeks, health officials say it’s even more important for people to keep getting tested as things open back up.
"Vaccines do help us to prevent both infections that become very bad and require hospitalization and it also does help to a certain extent to prevent transmission but they're not bulletproof and in order to keep our vaccines most effective and to prevent the generation of new viruses and new variants the best thing for us to do is catch the very, very small number of cases that will end up floating around by doing lots of testing,” said infectious disease specialist and scientist Dr. Lisa Barrett.
With many businesses now starting to reopen, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce is offering rapid COVID testing kits to employers so they can test for the virus on site.
"We have over 10,000 tests in our office right now that we are looking to distribute at no cost to employers. There's a place on the website where they can sign up to get in line and we want people to test at their own facilities,” said CEO Patrick Sullivan.
As of June 4, more than 620,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Nova Scotia.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.