Severe Shutdowns, Restrictions Imposed In Halifax As Province Records 37 Covid Cases In One Day
HALIFAX—The Halifax area is going back into strict lockdown as the second wave of Covid-19 causes a surge in new cases in the province.
Today, Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, announced 37 new Covid-19 cases. That means there are a total of 87 active cases in the province, nearly all of them in the HRM, and most of them in people aged 18 to 35.
Strang called the numbers a “wakeup call” for any Nova Scotians who have not been taking the pandemic seriously.
With case numbers in the city exploding, the province announced severe new restrictions for businesses and gatherings in and around the Halifax area. The specific details of that area are available here.
For the next two weeks, restaurants and other businesses that serve liquor will be forced to close to in-person dining and tastings, although they will be allowed to stay open to offer takeout.
In addition, pools, rinks, yoga studios, gyms and other fitness facilities will have to close. The Halifax casino and three First Nations gaming establishments must also shut down.
While stores, shopping malls, and other retail establishments won’t have to close completely, the province is further limiting the number of people allowed inside them to 25 percent of their legal capacity.
“We need to decrease the crowds in stores,” Strang said, adding that people in Halifax should be focusing on “essential shopping only.”
When asked what the province plans to do to support businesses forced to shut down once again, McNeil pointed to the federal government’s updated rent relief program.
He also said the province has been much more targeted in its shutdowns and that he is working with professional associations to learn how to best help businesses.
However, McNeil said the stress and pressure of those decisions are “being felt by many people who lay awake at night with the responsibility to protect the health of Nova Scotians [while] at the same time making decisions that will impact their economic health.”
“The reality is, public health and health priorities will take priority, and the health of Nova Scotians take priority. But the weight of knowing that you are going to actually, potentially, going to close somebody’s business for good is not a thing you take lightly,” he said.
Along with business closures, the province is also limiting public gatherings in the Halifax area to no more than five people.
McNeil said the province will also begin “stronger enforcement” of large gatherings.
Previously, people could be ticketed for hosting gatherings that exceeded public health limits. Now, every single person who attends an illegal gathering can be slapped with a $1000 fine, not just the host.
McNeil said Halifax police will be stepping up enforcement of things like private house parties, as well as inside retail shops.
Strang said the new restrictions will initially stay in place for two weeks, but that public health officials will assess the situation from there and decide next steps.
“I recognize that these are very tight restrictions, but we have to understand that we’ve been in a very good place for a couple of months… now that’s [caused] some problems, and we’ve all become too lax,” he said.
Strang said going back into stricter lockdown “gives us the opportunity to be able to lift the restrictions again as soon as possible,” which will ultimately be better for the province’s economic recovery in the long run.
He also warned Nova Scotians that the impacts of the new rules will not be felt immediately, and not to panic if they continue to see more high case numbers through the rest of the week.
“Everything we’re announcing today will have an impact, but because of the incubation period of the virus we are going to see these high numbers continue for the next 8-10 days,” he said.
He also pleaded with people to follow the rules he laid out, saying they are vital to getting the second wave of Covid-19 under control.
“Please do not look for loopholes, please do not look to skirt around these rules. We need everyone do the right thing for each other,” he said.