Talk Of Lifting Restrictions In Nova Scotia ‘Absolutely Premature’
HALIFAX — As new data reveals the spread of COVID-19 slowing in Canada, and some provinces begin taking small steps to open their economies, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health says it will be weeks before they consider lifting any restrictions in this province.
“This is not something we can rush,” Dr. Robert Strang said today. “We still have a significant amount of virus activity here in Nova Scotia and it is absolutely premature for us to open things up significantly at this time, or even in the next couple of weeks.”
Strang’s message comes as other provinces, most notably neighbouring New Brunswick, have taken the first steps towards reopening.
Last week, after six days without any new cases of COVID-19, New Brunswick began lifting some of the public health restrictions keeping its citizens home and businesses closed.
As of April 24, public parks, beaches, and golf courses in the province could open. Fishing, hunting, and outdoor religious services were also allowed.
In addition, the province began letting families gather from two different households and made allowances for some carpooling.
They’ll begin opening the economy itself over the next two to four weeks.
Strang acknowledged that it can be difficult to watch neighboring provinces lift restrictions when Nova Scotians are still under strict rules but said decisions about Nova Scotia have to be made based on Nova Scotian data.
“The decisions that we need to make will be, and will necessarily have to be, based on Nova Scotian epidemiology and other local data,” he said.
“Other provinces are making decisions based on their data, but the pandemic is not playing out across the country in a common or consistent way, and so we have to have a plan that is appropriate for Nova Scotia.”
As of April 28, New Brunswick has recorded 118 total cases of COVID-19, with all but four of them recovered. Nova Scotia, meanwhile, has 915 total cases and 366 of them are still active.
Strang pointed out that every province is planning its re-opening strategy based on the same guidelines, set out in a national framework put together by the country’s top health officials.
He said other provinces are re-opening quicker because they are further along in their recovery.
He added that, even once the province begins to ease restrictions, it will have to be done as part of “a slow and deliberate and phased process,” and many social distancing rules will have to remain in place for months.
“Even as we start to lift restrictions, we’re going to have to collectively stick with the basic requirements around social distancing,” he said. “What normal is is actually going to look quite different for a significant length of time.”