Dr. Robert Strang; courtesy Communications NS
A slew of new restrictions have been announced for the entire province of Nova Scotia.
It comes as the province reported a record 66 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
Chief medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Strang, says they’re continuing to ask everyone to avoid travel outside of their community.
Strang says they don’t want people looking for loopholes.
“Use your common sense how you define community,” he says. “I don’t think we should have to actually take a map and draw a line for everybody about what your community is.”
Strang outlined the new restrictions for the entire province, outside Halifax and its surrounding suburban communities.
He says they take effect at 8 a.m. Tuesday and last until at least May 20:
- the gathering limit is 10 total, both indoors and outdoors
- restaurants, stores, and gaming establishments can operate at 50 per cent capacity
- masks are mandatory in private indoor workplaces: in all common areas, places open to the public, areas with poor ventilation, and areas where distance cannot be maintained
- faith gatherings are limited to 25 per cent capacity (up to 100 indoors and 150 outdoors)
- weddings and funerals can have 10 people, plus officiants
- no social events, special events, festivals, arts/cultural events, sports events, wedding receptions, or funeral visitation or receptions
- maximum of 25 people for meetings or training
- maximum of 10 people indoors, or 25 people outdoors, for sports practices and training, but no games, competitions, or tournaments, and for arts and culture rehearsals, but no in-person performances
- bars and clubs can operate at 50 per cent to host darts, cards, pool, and bowling
- personal services such as hair salons, barber shops and spas can open, but cannot provide any services requiring the client to remove their mask
- gyms, yoga studios, pools, arenas, tennis courts, and recreation facilities can open at 50 per cent capacity
- outdoor fitness clubs can operate with 25 people and physical distancing
- maximum 50 people at indoor play areas, arcades, climbing facilities, dance classes, and music lessons
- museums and libraries are restricted to 50 per cent capacity
Visitors, volunteers, and designated care providers are still allowed at long-term care facilities.
