Nova Scotia Easing COVID-19 Restrictions – Welcomes Family Bubble

It’s time to pick your family favorite as Nova Scotia will begin easing up on its COVID-19 restrictions.

Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health, announced effective Friday, May 15, the province is introducing the immediate family bubble.

This will allow two immediate family households to come together without physical distancing.

The families must be mutually exclusive to each other to minimize risk of COVID-19 spread.

Dr. Strang is asking people to take it slow.

“It’s important that people understand that this does not mean that families can get together in large groups for barbeques and reunions.”

Strang also says when selecting which other family household they’ll connect with, families should to consider three factors – age, occupation and health condition of all household members.

In addition to the loosened restrictions on family interactions, the province also eased restrictions on some outdoor activities.

Some of those include golf, paddling, sailing/boating and tennis so long as social distancing, environmental cleaning and participant hygiene can be maintained.

However, organized coaching or training, competitions, tournaments, regattas or similar events are still not permitted.

Public beaches are reopened as of May 16 at 8 a.m. but people must stay two metres apart and not gather in groups of more than five.

The province-wide b an on open fires within 1,000 feet of woods has been extended to Monday, June 1.

But the use of backyard appliances like chimineas and fire pits will be temporarily permitted for households.

The announced easing of restrictions comes as Nova Scotia is reporting four additional deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total to 55. The deaths occurred at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax.

As of May 15, Nova Scotia has 1,034 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Eight new cases were identified Thursday.

Nine individuals are currently in hospital, five of those in ICU.

The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 473 tests

There are three licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors’ facilities in Nova Scotia with active cases of COVID-19. Northwood in Halifax currently has 25 residents and 15 staff with active cases. One other facility has one staff member with an active case of COVID-19 and another facility has one resident with an active case.

Nine-hundred and eighteen individuals have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson