HALIFAX: On the day Nova Scotia recorded its first day with no new cases of COVID-19 and 11 weeks after the province identified its first case, the province announced the lifting of more public health restrictions.
Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health for Nova Scotia, announced on May 29 that the provincial state of emergency has been extended to June 14.
They also confirmed a new gathering limit of 10 effective immediately. Physical distancing of two metres or six feet is still required, except among members of the same household or family household bubble.
“I know many of you wanted to add to the family bubble household, but we are not there yet, sorry because that involves physical contact and we will still need to limit that,” the premier noted.
The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with an exception for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people, not including those conducting the service.
“Our province is experiencing a lot of death and families need to come together to celebrate the life of a loved one,” McNeil said.
Dr. Strang noted that for weddings, the number of 10 people indoors and 15 outdoors is strict.
“I realize that certainly at weddings, people want to have a lot of other service providers such as photographers, musicians, DJs, and food service,” he stated. “I hate to be a damper on these joyous events but this time, we need to make sure the numbers are limited so the officiant is only extra person, and if you want a photographer or a DJ, they would be included in your number of 10 indoors and 15 outdoors.”
The gathering limit applies to things like social gatherings, arts and culture activities like theatre performances and dance recitals, faith gatherings, and sports and physical activity. It also applies to businesses whose main function is gatherings, such as theatres, concerts, festivals and sporting activities, and to businesses that are too small to ensure physical distancing.
“While many arts and culture events tend to be larger, there may be some that can function with 10 people and physical distancing, and if they can, those are okay, as of today,” Dr. Strang said.
Businesses whose core function is creating gatherings, like concert halls and sporting events can only operate with groups of 10 and proper distancing, the doctor noted.
In referencing sporting events, Dr. Strang used soccer as an example.
“For sports and physical activity, 10 people can practice on a soccer field, for example, as long as they’re maintaining the physical distancing between them,” Dr. Strang explained. “But they can’t play a typical game of soccer because that would involve close contact. They also cannot have two separate groups of 10 on the same field. So it’s a group of 10, maintaining physical distance, per sports setting; per field, per ball diamond, per rink, per court.”
Whether for profit or not, Dr. Strang said fitness facilities are viewed as businesses.
“The gathering limit of 10 does not apply to fitness facilities,” Dr. Strang explained. “Instead, like all other businesses, they must have a plan that addresses how to control numbers to ensure physical distancing, and other things like hand-washing and increased hygiene.”
Starting June 5, private campgrounds can open for all types of campers. They can only operate at 50 per cent capacity and must ensure public health protocols are followed including adequate distance between campsites.
Provincial campgrounds will open to Nova Scotians on June 15, with the reservation line opening June 8. They will operate at a reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of 20 feet between individual campsites.
“One thing I’ve discovered is that Nova Scotia has a lot of avid campers and we want you to get back out and enjoy the outdoors,” stated the premier.
Pools can start maintenance work to prepare for reopening, likely in time for summer.
Sleepover camps are not permitted this year.
As for faith gatherings, Dr. Strang said 10 people can gather (at a six foot distance), indoors or outdoors, but there are limits.
“It is important that they continue to follow other safety precautions, such as not passing things like collection plates, or communion between people,” Dr. Strang noted. “And we are saying that singing is highly discouraged because there’s now evidence that people singing actually significantly increases the spreading of respiratory droplets, which increases the risk of transmitting the virus that causes COVID-19.”