Dr. Robert Strang provides COVID-19 update November 13, 2020. Photo credit Nova Scotia Government

Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health wants people to stay ahead of the pandemic.

At the COVID-19 update Friday, Dr. Robert Strang said a recent outbreak of COVID-19 in the Halifax neighbourhood of Clayton Park has been largely contained because residents followed quarantine protocols.

“Even though it wasn’t perfect, in many of the situations the public health measures were being followed which limited the ability of the virus, even though it was in a family, for instance, to get beyond that,” said Strang. “So, I think it’s important to emphasize that these collective approaches that have kept us safe so far are what will continue to keep us safe.”

Strang said there is nothing to suggest the cluster of cases has led to spread in the broader community. The Nova Scotia Health Authority labs tested 1,260 people for COVID-19 on Thursday and identified two new cases, which are unrelated to the Clayton Park cluster.

Public health determined one case is related to travel outside the Atlantic bubble and that person is self-isolating. Staff is investigating the cause of the second case.

The total number of active cases in Nova Scotia sits at 19 as of Friday.

Strang emphasized the measures in place are working to protect Nova Scotians from the spread of COVID-19. He said wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing and self-isolating, when required, are the tools that will keep the pandemic from flaring up in Nova Scotia as it has done in many other provinces.

“Here in Nova Scotia, it’s not about flattening the curve but it’s actually being out in front of the curve so we don’t have to flatten it. It’s keeping our situation. It’s a preventative measure for us,” said Strang.

He said we have to start thinking now about whether we can maintain that position into the new year.

“In the next six to eight weeks to minimize our social contacts. Decrease the number of people that we are in contact with. Keep our social groups small. Keep our social activities limited and [participate] in safe ways. And when we’re in places where we need to use masks, wear your mask and wear it properly. If you’re not feeling well, just stay home,” said Strang.

The holiday season is quickly approaching and Strang said he will soon be releasing guidelines to malls and stores around how to safely cope with a larger number of shoppers.

He said those retail locations will need to have precautions in place but a safe shopping experience isn’t solely up to them.

“But ultimately this is the responsibility of Nova Scotians. If you’re going into a mall, what are you doing to make sure that you’re keeping physically distant? What are you doing to make sure that unless you have a valid reason to not wear a mask, you’re wearing a mask and wearing it properly?” said Strang. “I don’t want all the responsibility to land on the business operator or the mall operator. There’s equally opportunity for Nova Scotians to take responsibility for their own actions.”

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

Dr. Robert Strang provides COVID-19 update November 9, 2020. Photo credit: Nova Scotia government

Nova Scotia is cracking down on people coming from outside the Atlantic bubble.

From now on, everyone in the home where they are self-isolating will have to self-isolate as well. Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang said nobody in that home can leave the property for 14 days and they cannot have visitors.

“If they choose to do that, it means kids can’t go to school, people cannot go to work, you can’t go shopping, you can’t go to the grocery store.,” said Strang. “That sounds harsh, but it’s necessary.”

Strang explained if you welcome someone who is self-isolating into your home on the 13^th day of their quarantine, their self-isolation would end the next day, but you still have to self-isolate for 14 days.

Strangs said it may sound harsh, but with the second wave of COVID-19 in full force around the country it’s necessary to prevent the spread of the virus by travellers to our province and our fate is in our hands.

“BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, [are] all reporting record numbers of cases. We have to do everything we can do to stop ourselves getting into similar situations. We will get overwhelmed and our healthcare system will get overwhelmed. We will put all of us in substantive risk,” said Strang.

COVID-19 protocols will remain the same for rotational or specialized workers, people who have exceptions to attend a funeral or be with an immediate family member who is nearing end of life, and those that are exempt from self-isolation such as military, police, first responders, truckers, flight crews, and others.

Strang is advising Nova Scotians to avoid non-essential travel into and out of Atlantic Canada. That includes planning to stay within the Atlantic bubble over the Christmas holidays.

“Now is not the time to be thinking, I’m going to get my family, we’re all going to go visit our cousins or aunt and uncle in Toronto for Christmas. Stay put. Celebrate with your family and friends that are already here in the bubble and then maybe you’ll wait until COVID is gone before you think about those non-essential travel with friends and relatives in other parts of the country or in other parts of the globe,” said Strang.

The chief medical officer of health said he is already having discussions with his team about possibly tightening up restrictions that had been eased off after the first wave of COVID had passed.

Strang said Nova Scotians must recommit to the efforts that were made to minimize the impact of COVID-19, that includes tighten up our bubbles and paying closer attention to social distancing requirements.

“Now is the time for all of us to start too reduce our social activities and start to restrict social activities to people that are in our household or close social bubble,” said Strang.

He says people should stick to one social bubble of no more than 10 people.

Since the last briefing on November 3 the province has announced 15 new cases of COVID-19 which brings the total number of active cases in Nova Scotia to 16.

As the number of cases across the country skyrocket and Nova Scotian COVID cases on the rise, Dr. Strang warns it’s up to all of us to take action.

“We are at a tipping point tight now, here in Nova Scotia. I’ve had a very anxious weekend,” said Strang. “We are at a critical tipping point that we all need to pay attention to. If you didn’t pay attention after our briefing last week, you need to sit up and pay attention now. We all need to make changes if we are going to change our trajectory.”

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