HALIFAX: As schools partially re-opened, the province, Canada Post, the RCMP, and a local municipality established guidelines for dealing with the global COVID-19 pandemic.
After consulting with the province’s Chief Medical Officer, as well as the Regional Education Centres, the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial, the Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia, and union partners including the Nova Scotia Teacher’s Union – the Education and Early Childhood Development decided to open schools across Nova Scotia starting Monday.
Schools will be accessible by appointment only to teachers, other school-based staff and Grade 12 students, but no other students, or families, can gain access.
“This is limited access and is only to allow staff and Grade 12 students to pick up essential items – such as technology – they need to work and learn from home,” spokesperson Chrissy Matheson told The Reporter. “One of our priorities will be Grade 12 students and their graduation requirements.”
With the postponement of the school year scheduled to end April 6, Matheson said no announcement has been made about a longer closure.
She said the department is developing a plan that helps students learn at home.
“This is an uncertain time, and we know families have lots of questions,” Matheson said. “We want to provide reassurance that we’re developing a plan that supports students and teachers for the best results in difficult circumstances.”
Because the many of the needs of students and families don’t go away, Matheson said SchoolsPlus and Parent Navigator supports are in place and available. Contact information has been sent to families and will be offered remotely.
That same day, the province announced more measures to deal with the global pandemic, including increased testing for COVID-19, confirming that public health officials have begun testing all close contacts of positive cases. Capacity at the QEII Health Sciences Centre microbiology lab is doubling to accommodate increased testing.
The province has expanded virtual care for physicians, nurse practitioners and others so they can offer appointments to patients through telephone or video, minimizing the need to leave the house. More than 80 providers have signed up for video so far.
Staff was increased and technology is now answering half of calls to 811. On April 3, 811 will again double its capacity.
Enhanced infection control measures were taken at hospitals to protect health-care workers and the public, which includes reassigning and adding new staff to increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfection, focusing on high-risk areas and high-traffic areas and high-touch surfaces, and using stronger cleaning products.
Regulated health professions can only stay open for emergency or urgent cases or to provide virtual care, as long as they can meet social distancing requirements in their waiting room or other non-clinical areas and follow the cleaning protocol. Non-regulated health professions (such as naturopaths) must close. One exception is podiatrists who must follow the directive related to regulated health professions.
Access Centres and Registry of Motor Vehicle Offices will start to resume operations in a scaled back, limited contact, business model. Staff working out of offices in Amherst, Bridgewater, Dartmouth, Kentville, Stellarton, Sydney and Yarmouth will be available to help people with urgent matters by calling 1-800-670-4357. In addition, government has extended deadlines for more vehicle permits, registrations and renewals until August 31. Drop-off boxes for applicable services will also be available at Access Centres in Amherst, Bridgewater, Dartmouth, Kentville, Stellarton, Sydney and Yarmouth. Many of the services are also available on-line.
Essential service sectors in Nova Scotia, which are exempt from the five-person-or-fewer gathering rules, have been clarified and are: health; food, agri-food and fisheries; transportation, including trucking, rail and transit; construction and manufacturing; IT, telecommunications and critical infrastructure; and public services, such as police, fire and ambulances.
Individual business in these sectors must still maintain social distancing and other public health protocols.
The Municipality of the County of Inverness Coronavirus released its COVID-19 pandemic plan to guide council and staff in the continued operation of municipal services and protecting public health and safety.
The Port Hood administrative building and the infrastructure and emergency services facility are closed to the public.
The Kenloch Transfer Station will be closed to the public as of March 25.
All recreation and cultural programs offered through the municipality will be cancelled and rescheduled, if possible.
Foyer Père Fiset, Inverary Manor, Port Hood Small Options and Koster Huis are closed to visitors.
All non-essential municipal meetings are cancelled, and staff will be working from home when possible.
“We’re continuing to work closely with provincial and local public health officials,” said Warden Betty Ann MacQuarrie. “Our priority is to keep local government, including Inverness County Homes Corporation operations, functioning in a safe and responsible manner. The enactment of the pandemic plan will guide our decisions as we go forward.”
Canada Post initiated the changes to delivery operations and the retail postal network.
Many post offices will reduce hours of service, opening one hour later and closing one hour earlier to clean, restock and provide some relief to employees. For the first hour of each day, those who are at a higher risk (the elderly or people with compromised immune systems), will be offered priority.
Canada Post is asking waiting customers to please space themselves two metres (six feet) apart. In smaller offices, they will limit the number of customers and Canada Post is working on signage and clear barriers for counters.
Although they continue to accept cash, Canada Post is encouraging customers to pay by using the tap function on their debit or credit cards.
Canada Post has suspended its 15-day hold policy and parcels left at the post-office for pickup will not be returned-to-sender until further notice.
To eliminate customer interactions at the door, reduce post office customer traffic and support social and physical distancing, delivery employees will knock or ring, choose the safest location available to leave the item and then depart for the next address. This change eliminates the need for signatures at the door and greatly reduces the number of parcels sent to post offices for pick-up.
Items that require proof of age, ID or customs payments will be sent directly from depots to a retail post office for pick-up with no restrictions on when customers can pick up the item. Customers will receive a delivery notice card in their mail letting them know which post office is holding their item for pickup.
Canada Post has suspended on On-time Delivery Guarantees for all parcel services, until further notice.
Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia RCMP wants the public to know it will continue its operations.
“As an emergency response agency, we have existing protocols and procedures that deal with emergency situations, and that includes pandemics,” Assistant Commissioner Lee Bergerman, Commanding Officer, Nova Scotia RCMP said. “Our Division Emergency Operations Centre is active and is monitoring and overseeing the coordination of Nova Scotia RCMP resources. This includes monitoring our business continuity plans, assessing our essential service levels and equipment, and forwarding updates on our safety and prevention measures.”