HALIFAX: Local plans to celebrate graduation under strict public health measures have been accepted by provincial officials.
“Thousands of high school graduates are also preparing for new beginnings,” Premier Stephen McNeil said on the same day businesses resumed operations. “Under normal circumstances, they would be getting ready for an elaborate graduation ceremony and prom. Sadly this year, they can’t do that.
“Many communities have recognized that and have stepped up and we’ve received a number of proposals from communities wanting to celebrate their grads. Dr. Strang has taken a look at them, we’ve talked about it, and we like them so Dr. Strang is granting an exemption with a strict set of public health guidelines.”
During a briefing on June 5, Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health for Nova Scotia, announced an exemption under the Public Health Act order to allow community organizations, businesses or municipalities to hold celebrations to recognize graduates due to the loss of traditional graduation ceremonies.
Communities will be able to celebrate graduation this year, provided they are led by an established organization and follow public health guidelines to ensure celebrations are safe.
“They have specific protocols and processes in place for that,” Dr. Strang explained.
All public high schools in Nova Scotia will recognize Grade 12 graduates receiving diplomas in a way that recognizes public health protocols, the premier noted. This will be separate from any celebrations that might be held in the community.
All non-school based, community celebrations of graduates must be held by a recognized business, municipality or community organization (like a club, association, society, volunteer group, faith-based group), and the local municipality, police and fire departments and Emergency Health Services must be informed and supportive of the planned event.
“It’s important that there’s some organization that actually holds the responsibility for managing this according to the public health directive,” Dr. Strang noted.
Conditions under the exemption include: attendees must arrive in a vehicle; all passengers in the vehicle must be from a single household or household bubble; graduates can be out of their vehicle to do things like cross a stage or take part in a parade of graduates as long as physical distance (two metres or six feet) is maintained between all graduates while they are out of their vehicle; and organizers must communicate clearly with attendees in advance and ensure other public health protocols, like physical distancing, are followed.
“These are all going to be based around a driving concept,” said Dr. Strang. “The organizers need to communicate clearly with attendees in advance of all the requirements of a specific event.”
Dr. Strang added this is being done to allow communities to recognize graduates, not condone private parties where public health rules are ignored.
“I want to be clear that these are organized events, this is not an exemption for individual grad parties, it is only for organized, community-led events,” Dr. Strang added. “Individual parties need to be held following the rules…”
A full list of the conditions and protocols under this exemption can be found at: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/community-celebration-graduates.