COVID-19: Summary of Provincial Announcements

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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