COVID-19: Summary of Provincial Announcements

For full details relating to each announcement, refer to www.novascotia.ca/news

April 2

• State of Emergency is extended to April 19, 2020 
• COVID-19 Worker Emergency Bridge – $20 million
• Small Business COVID-19 Impact Grant – $19 million
• Map and graphs of COVID-19 test results is now online here

March 30           

• Schools closed until May 1. Online and paper-based learning strategies are being developed to support student learning.
• Employer Assessment tool to help businesses and non-profits clarify if they can remain open and how to comply with public health orders and workplace safety requirements added online

March 27      

• Support for landlords who enter into a rent deferral agreement with their commercial tenants
• Restaurants can now include alcohol in their take-out and delivery sales
• Government has purchased 800 ipads for use in long term care facilities

March 26           

• COVID testing is being expanded to include:
  • Anyone referred by 811 to an assessment centre
  • All close contacts of people who test positive
  • People in hospital that meet the criteria for testing
• Reservations for 2020 camping season are on hold until further notice
• Open fires for any purpose in woods or within 305 metres of woods in any part of the province are banned until May 15

March 24            

• Measures to strengthen the health system, help Nova Scotians dealing with COVID-19
• Access Centres and Registry of Motor Vehicle Offices to resume operations in a scaled back, limited contact business model.
• Regulated health professions can stay open for emergency or urgent care or to provide virtual care as long as they meet social distancing requirements
• Non-regulated health professions must close (with exception of podiatrists)

March 22             State of Emergency declared

March 21            

• Dentists can no longer practice dentistry in their offices unless deemed necessary to perform an emergency dental procedure

March 18            

• Announcement re: Personal Services and fitness establishments
  • Includes: hair salons, barbershops, spas, nail salons, body art establishments, gyms

March 17            

• No public gatherings of more than 50 people
• Announcements re: restaurants
  • Only take-out and delivery permitted
  • Drinking establishments, winery and distillery tasting rooms and craft taprooms closed
  • Private liquor stores permitted to be open, and craft breweries, wineries and distilleries can still sell storefront
• Access Nova Scotia closed

March 15           

• Long-term care closed effective immediately
• Public schools and regulated childcare closed
• Social distancing – 2 meters/6 feet, gatherings of less than 150 or much smaller if possible