Heading into one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, public health is cracking down on travel to and from Halifax.
The province’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang announced new restrictions coming at 12:01am Nov. 26 after announcing 37 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday.
“If you were thinking you’re coming to Halifax this weekend for Black Friday, please think again. HRM, for the next two weeks at least, is not a shopping destination for the rest of the province,” said Strang.
In Halifax, retail stores are only allowed to admit 25 per cent of their normal capacity, restaurants are limited to take out and delivery, while gyms, libraries, recreational facilities, casinos are all closed.
The province has already reduced gathering limits in the Halifax area from 10 to five. Fines for anyone violating those precautions are also going up from $1,000 for the host to $1,000 for anyone in attendance at the gathering.
Strang said people need to get the message this is a social disease and spread is manageable.
“But it’s important that Nova Scotians understand that we take this seriously. We need them to take it seriously and if they don’t, there are substantive financial penalties to that,” said Strang.
The restricted area has also expanded from the Halifax core out to Hubbards, Elmsdale, Porters Lake and Mount Uniacke.
New restrictions are also coming into effect across the province that will close long-term care facilities to visitors except volunteers and designated caregivers, sports teams are restricted to local or regional play and extracurricular activities between schools are cancelled.
Strang said he understands the holidays are coming and Nova Scotians need to put the work in now to ensure they can gather with family in the coming weeks.
“If we come together for the next, at least two weeks, maybe a couple more and then we start to slowly ease up, we will get out of this,” said Strang. “But we’ll only do it if we all do it together.”
Even so, Strang says Nova Scotians may have to reexamine how we celebrate the holidays this year.
“This year the way we care for each other, the way we show that we love each other is by keeping each other COVID safe,” said Strang. “Everything else, gifts, faith celebrations, they are secondary to what we are doing primarily, which is about showing that we care for each other.”
Reported by Ed Halverson
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson