Essentially all of Nova Scotia’s Public Health measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic ended Monday.
That includes the provincial state of emergency, which had been in effect for two years.
However, the messaging of Friday’s last-minute briefing was mixed, with both Premier Tim Houston and Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, strongly recommending continued voluntary masking.
“Masking will no longer be mandatory, everybody, but I still strongly recommend that you wear one in public places,” Dr. Strang says. “Especially indoors where you can’t maintain at least six feet distance from people not in your close social circle.”
Enhanced health measures remain in place in high-risk settings, like congregate living, hospitals, nursing homes, and, most notably, public schools.
That leaves the vast majority of Nova Scotians free from any kind of masking requirement, but it’s not quite that simple.
Dr. Strang says individual businesses and organisations can continue to require masking.
It’s unclear how these groups would be able to enforce such a policy with no more legal protections.
Regardless, it seems like it’s a good idea to keep a mask in your car for a little while longer.
Restrictions over, pandemic not
Despite moving forward and dropping restrictions, Dr. Strang repeated the message he’s maintained each time restrictions have been relaxed; the pandemic is not over.
“COVID is still around us,” he says. “Even though your risk may not be particularly high, the risk of people around you, the ones you love, maybe the ones you don’t even know, but they’re your neighbours or your co-workers, may still be very high.”
In addition to recommending masking, he also says you should avoid large gatherings, crowded indoor places, and keep your social circle small.
Dr. Strang says they maintain the option to reinstate Public Health measures, if we see a drastic shift in the pandemic.
