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Restrictions announced last month to help stem the spread of COVID-19 have been extended, as Nova Scotia reported 15 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, including one at a Halifax-area school.
These restrictions, which include the interruption of food service in restaurants and the closure of gyms, museums and libraries, were announced on 24 November. They should have been in place for at least two weeks.
On Friday, Dr Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s medical director, said such restrictions would be extended until at least December 16, as new daily cases remain in the double digits.
“We need more time with the existing restrictions in place to see these numbers go down and be sure they will stay low,” Strang said.
“I know it’s particularly difficult when we enter the holiday season, but that’s exactly why we’re doing what we’re doing now. I can’t make any promises about where we’ll be in three weeks, but what I can tell you the more we hook up and stay tight right now, and for the next couple of weeks, the best position will be to be able to relax a bit as we enter the vacation weeks. “
Eleven of the 15 new cases are in the central health zone of the province, including the case at Citadel High School. Three cases are in the northern area and are close contacts of previously reported cases. The other case is in the western zone and is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada.
The province currently has 117 active cases.
Nova Scotia Health Authority laboratories completed 1,623 COVID-19 tests on Thursday.
There have been a number of possible notifications of exposure in Nova Scotia. An up-to-date list of active exhibitions is available here.
New case in school
One of the new cases was found at Halifax’s Park West School. The school sent a notice to parents on Friday stating that it will be closed until December 10 as a precaution.
It did not specify whether the infected individual is a student or a staff member, but contact tracing is ongoing.
Staff were also asked to work from home.
Public health has also sent a warning to parents that they may have had a child exposed to the virus at school on November 30, December 1 or 2.
Staff or students who received the letter were asked to self-isolate for 14 days regardless of a negative test result.
He said close family members do not need to self-isolate.
“We are working with the Halifax Regional Education Center and the school to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to support back to school for students. Your school will provide more details,” the notice reads.
The school has around 90 employees and 850 students from elementary to grade 9.
There have been several other cases reported in Halifax area schools, including one that was identified Thursday at Citadel High School.
Vaccine plan
Strang said the province continues to work with Ottawa on administering the first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, which is expected to be the first product approved by regulators for use in Canada.
He said Health Canada is expected to approve the Pfizer vaccine as early as next week, with Nova Scotia planning its first vaccine assignment in early January. Small weekly amounts are expected to arrive for the first 12 weeks of the year.
“There’s a lot of detailed work between now and January,” Strang said. “Things are moving very quickly on the introduction of the vaccine, much more to come.”
On Friday the National Immunization Advisory Committee released its final directive recommending who should be first in line for the COVID-19 vaccine. He said seniors, residents and long-term care staff and health care workers should be the first to get the vaccine.
Strang said it is up to the provinces to determine exactly how the vaccine will be distributed, and he and his team are “working diligently” on this.
He said the province bought an ultra-low temperature freezer to store early quantities of the vaccine and that Ottawa will supply another freezer later.
McNeil added that other freezers could also come from the private sector.
Test for rotational workers
On Friday, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said the province will begin a new testing strategy for rolling workers.
Rotational workers who have been out of the province can now be tested for six to eight days in their self-isolation. McNeil said they would have to continue self-isolating for 14 days even with a negative result.
“This won’t change any of the restrictions, but it does offer a level of reassurance if they don’t have COVID,” he said. “And if they do, it will help us contain the virus faster.”
The rolling worker test is voluntary. They can book a test online through the province’s self-assessment site.
COVID-19 in the Atlantic provinces
The latest numbers of the Atlantic provinces are:
Symptoms
Anyone with any of the following symptoms should visit the COVID-19 self-report website or call 811:
- Temperature.
- Cough or worsening of a previous cough.
Anyone who has two or more of the following symptoms is also encouraged to visit the website or call 811:
- Burning throat.
- Headache.
- Shortness of breath.
- Rhinorrhea.
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