Weekly Nova Scotia COVID-19 reports ending, Health Protection Act order lifted

Nova Scotia is making changes to how COVID-19 is reported and managed in the province.

The province has lifted its COVID-19 Health Protection Act, effective Tuesday. It began on March 15, 2020 when the first cases of COVID-19 were identified in the province.

Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health cited the World Health Organization’s recent declaration that COVID-19 no longer represents a global health emergency as the reason for the change.

"It is important to note that while COVID-19 no longer requires an emergency-type response, we continue to monitor COVID-19 activity and will adjust our plan as needed, as we do with other diseases," said Dr. Robert Strang in a news release Tuesday morning.

"As we begin to plan for the upcoming respiratory season this fall, we are taking a more general approach, integrating COVID-19 into our respiratory illnesses program. The same type of personal measures that protect us against COVID-19 will also protect us against influenza and other respiratory illnesses."

The mandatory vaccination protocol for high-risk settings, which came into effect in 2021, is also changing.

The province said employers and operators of high-risk settings will be responsible for COVID-19 policies, including masking. They’ll also decide whether employees, outside service providers and volunteers need to be vaccinated.

The province’s weekly COVID-19 dashboard will be updated for the last time this Thursday; however, its monthly report will continue.

Public health’s online Respiratory Watch report will include COVID-19 data beginning in October.

The province said it will be published monthly, then more frequently in colder months when respiratory illnesses circulate heavily.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.