Heading into one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, public health is cracking down on travel to and from Halifax.<\/p>\n
The province\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you were thinking you\u2019re 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,\u201d said Strang.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Strang said people need to get the message this is a social disease and spread is manageable.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s important that Nova Scotians understand that we take this seriously. We need them to take it seriously and if they don\u2019t, there are substantive financial penalties to that,\u201d said Strang.<\/p>\n
The restricted area has also expanded from the Halifax core out to Hubbards, Elmsdale, Porters Lake and Mount Uniacke.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf 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,\u201d said Strang. \u201cBut we\u2019ll only do it if we all do it together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even so, Strang says Nova Scotians may have to reexamine how we celebrate the holidays this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year the way we care for each other, the way we show that we love each other is by keeping each other COVID safe,\u201d said Strang. \u201cEverything else, gifts, faith celebrations, they are secondary to what we are doing primarily, which is about showing that we care for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n