Good News For Gyms And Nova Scotians Who Want To See Friends And Family
HALIFAX — The government of Nova Scotia will relax public health restrictions around gathering limits ahead of the holiday season, keep restrictions for some businesses in the Halifax area in place, and put new restrictions on some businesses outside of the HRM.
Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, outlined the complicated new restrictions at a press briefing on December 16.
The goal, Strang said, is to allow people more freedom to visit family members over the holidays while limiting behaviour most likely to contribute to the spread of Covid-19.
The new set of rules will take effect on December 21.
Gathering Limits
Part of the government’s plan is to increase the number of people allowed to gather in one place to 10, across the entire province.
That means up to 10 people will be allowed to gather without physical distancing, including inside their homes.
The province is also easing up its rules prohibiting travel into and out of the area around Halifax. Strang said you can now travel to see family and friends, but only by going straight “from Point A to Point B” and sticking close by once you arrive.
However, Strang warned the province is “still seeing multiple cases” of Covid-19 every day, and asked people to consider very carefully when and how they travel. Travel, and gathering in large groups, he said, are some of the fastest ways the virus spreads, and Covid-19 is still very much alive and well in Nova Scotia.
“We’re [making these changes] because we know how important it is for families to be together at this time,” Premier Stephen McNeil said before warning about the dangers of too much travel during a pandemic.
“Covid likes gatherings, and it likes movement. So if you get together in big crowds and you house-hop, Covid will want to join you,”
While it will be easier to travel and spend time with family, Strang said the province is also taking significant steps to discourage gatherings by completely shutting down nearly all social events, such as festivals, sports, and arts and cultural events.
The only exceptions will be weddings, funerals, and faith gatherings, which will be allowed to operate under special gathering size limits.
Restrictions on Businesses
Strang said the province is adjusting its restrictions on businesses to reflect the fact that the Covid-19 threat is no longer centred in Halifax, but present more-or-less equally throughout the province.
To that end, restaurants and bars outside of the Halifax area will be put under new rules: they now must stop serving customers by 10 pm, and close completely by 11 pm.
The province is also extending the restrictions on retail establishments currently in place in Halifax to the entire province. That means all Nova Scotia shops will have to reduce their capacity by 75 percent.
Restrictions on restaurants and bars in the Halifax area, meanwhile, will stay in place as they are, meaning no sit-in dining. Strang said the restaurant sector is “okag” with the new rules, but not all restaurant owners are happy with the news.
Meanwhile, fitness facilities that had been forced to close by last month’s restrictions will be allowed to reopen in Halifax and across the province.
They will, however, have to follow extra-strict rules, including increased, three-metre social distancing during high-intensity activities.
Art Galleries of Nova Scotia, museums, and libraries can also reopen at full capacity, with physical distancing and other public health measures in place.
Strang acknowledged that some people might be upset with some of the restrictions, but said they will help check the spread of Covid-19 in the province.
“We recognize … that for many people there is some disappointment, and I recognize that’s hard for folks. But we are in the middle of a global pandemic and we have to recognize that things will be different,” he said.
He added that Nova Scotia has been a leader in its Covid-19 response and that it would be unwise to change its approach just because of the holidays.
A complete breakdown of all the new Covid-19 rules, which will come into effect on December 21, is available here.