As the COVID-19 pandemic remains the focus of Nova Scotians, health officials have continued to issue warnings for potential coronavirus exposure in the province.
Officials do that whenever someone was in a location and contact tracing either wasn’t possible or health officials aren’t sure that contact tracing captured everyone who was possibly exposed.
But as researchers learn more about COVID-19, the province’s guidance has continued to change.
For instance, shortly before New Year’s Eve, the province began issuing separate directions for those awaiting testing results based on whether individuals were showing symptoms.
“If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you are required to self-isolate while you wait for your test result. If you do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 you do not need to self-isolate while you wait for your test result,” many of the province’s advisories now read.
That’s why the province is encouraging Nova Scotians to carefully read the warnings for COVID-19 exposure.
Essentially, it all comes down to where the exposure happened and what level of risk that presented.
“We are not asking asymptomatic individuals in low-risk exposure settings to self-isolate given the significant workforce implications this would have,” Carla Adams, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, said in a statement to Global News.
It’s up to the medical officer of health, who determines what the risk of exposure was.
A grocery store where everyone is maintaining social distancing and wearing masks would be considered low risk, the province said.
Any exposure involving an airplane has been considered high risk as any notification has not included the line about not needing to self-isolating while waiting for test results if someone is not displaying symptoms.
If at any time someone has symptoms of COVID-19 they are being asked to self-isolate and book a COVID-19 test.