Nova Scotia’s top doctor says the province is on track to enter Phase 5 of its reopening plan on Oct. 4, but expects the mask mandate to remain in place as the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the Maritimes.
Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang confirmed there are instances of community spread in the Halifax area, as the fourth wave of COVID-19 extends across the province, where there are currently 169 active cases with 14 people currently in hospital.
Despite the swell of cases, Strang says Nova Scotia remains on track to enter Phase 5 of its reopening plan on October 4th.
“Because of our vaccine, we can tolerate much more community spread than we did in previous waves where we had to be much more restrictive when we were in situations like we are now,” said Strang.
The province’s proof of vaccine policy will come into effect on the same day the province enters the final phase of its reopening plan, as health restrictions will be lifted and there will be no gathering limits or requirements for social distancing.
But Strang said public health is examining the lifting of the masking policies in indoor places and tells Nova Scotians it’s likely that masks will remain mandatory for indoor public spaces for the time being.
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“Other provinces have removed the masking and had to put it back in,” said Strang. “All the advice I’m getting to this point is that we’ll need to continue to have mandatory masking in indoor public spaces beyond Oct. 4.”
Province to follow top doctor’s guidance
Premier Tim Houston said he’s anxious about the rise in cases, and tells the province that public health will put in place health measures to keep all Nova Scotians safe and that he’ll leave the mask mandate decision to the experts.
“We’ll continue to be guided by Dr. Strang,” said Houston. “Public health continues to evaluate and continues to assess and they will do whatever necessary to keep Nova Scotians safe.”
Strang said he’ll address the province next week and will share more information about the mask mandate and share the details of the vaccine pass, which will be a mobile app that users can use on their smartphones.
Strang anticipates the vaccine pass will help curb the increase in cases the province is currently seeing and could help encourage other Nova Scotians to get vaccinated.
“That should start to show its impact as we get into the middle of October,” said Strang. “We could see less transmission because we are essentially separating out the unvaccinated in many situations.”
Utilizing the vaccine pass and continuing to mask indoors will be a key to getting through the fourth wave, said Strang.
Other provinces like New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had previously removed their mask mandates and have since reinstated their mandatory masks policy indoors.
“All of these measures are designed to keep Prince Edward Island open while keeping our province safe,” said PEI Premier Dennis King, adding that the measures will be in place for the “foreseeable future.”
Strang said many Nova Scotia businesses have reached out to public health requesting the mask mandate remain in place during the fourth wave to protect employees and customers as the virus continues to spread in all four health zones across the province.