Re-opening NS Phase 2 begins June 16

Kelly MacMillan June 15, 2021 8:45 am Last Updated on June 15, 2021 8:45 am

Nova Scotia is on track to enter into Phase 2 of the re-opening plan tomorrow.

Moving to phase 2 is based on COVID-19 activity, hospitalizations and vaccination rates.

New things you can do

Businesses and services
Personal and wellness services	Personal services businesses (like hair salons, barber shops, spas, nail salons and body art establishments) can offer all services by appointment (no walk-in service), including services that require a client to remove their mask. They also need to follow their sector-specific plan.
Restaurants, bars and casinos	Casino Nova Scotia (Halifax and Sydney) and video lottery terminals (VLTs) can operate at 50% capacity and need to follow public health measures like social distancing and masks. They can only serve food and alcohol until 11pm and must close by 12am. Liquor licensed (drinking) establishments (like bars, wineries, distillery tasting rooms and craft taprooms) can offer indoor and outdoor dining with a minimum physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) between tables. There is a maximum of 10 people (close social bubble) per table. Wearing a mask is required (except when you’re eating or drinking). Liquor licensed (drinking) establishments can only serve dine-in customers until 11pm and must close by 12am. They can continue to offer take-out, delivery and drive-thru service after 12am. Live music is permitted indoors and outdoors at restaurants and liquor licensed (drinking) establishments (like bars, wineries, distillery tasting rooms and craft taprooms) with 1 performer following the Guidelines for Musicians (PDF). Restaurants can offer indoor and outdoor dining with a minimum physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) between tables. There is a maximum of 10 people (close social bubble) per table. Wearing a mask is required (except when you’re eating or drinking). Restaurants can only serve dine-in customers until 11pm and must close by 12am. They can continue to offer take-out, delivery and drive-thru service after 12am.
Retail and shopping	All retail stores can operate at 50% of the store’s capacity (shoppers and staff) and need to follow the Health Protection Act Order, including public health measures like social distancing and masks. Households can have more than 1 designated shopper.

Continuing care
Adult day programs	Community-based adult day programs for seniors and people with disabilities can resume and need to follow public health guidelines for their sector.
Long-term care facilities	Long-term care residents can go for a walk off facility grounds and go through a drive-thru when going for a drive with a designated caregiver. Vaccinated residents can also leave the facility to visit outdoor public places (like parks). Recreational activities and personal services like hairstyling can resume within the facility for long-term care residents who are partially vaccinated or not vaccinated. Long-term care residents don’t need to be in the same groups for dining and group activities. Volunteers can resume their activities at long-term care facilities.

Continuing care

Adult day programs

Community-based adult day programs for seniors and people with disabilities can resume and need to follow public health guidelines for their sector.

Long-term care facilities

Long-term care residents can go for a walk off facility grounds and go through a drive-thru when going for a drive with a designated caregiver. Vaccinated residents can also leave the facility to visit outdoor public places (like parks).
Recreational activities and personal services like hairstyling can resume within the facility for long-term care residents who are partially vaccinated or not vaccinated.
Long-term care residents don’t need to be in the same groups for dining and group activities.
Volunteers can resume their activities at long-term care facilities.

Gatherings and social contacts
Indoor and outdoor social gatherings	Informal social gathering limit indoors is up to 10 people (household members and visitors) without social distancing and masks. Informal social gathering limit outdoors is up to 25 people without social distancing.
Meetings	Meetings and training (indoor and outdoor) – 10 people maximum indoors and 25 people maximum outdoors when meetings and training are hosted by a business or organization, including: provincial and municipal government private businesses and organizations first responder organizations (emergency first responders are exempt from social distancing when necessary) mental health and addictions support groups organized clubs
Sports and performing arts	Amateur performing arts rehearsals can have up to 10 people indoors and up to 25 people outdoors without social distancing. Masks are recommended when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from others. Professional artists, musicians, dancers and actors can rehearse indoors with up to 15 people and outdoors with up to 25 people without social distancing. Wearing a mask is required indoors when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from others (except during activities that are not possible while wearing a mask). Masks are recommended outdoors when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from others. Sport games, competitions, tournaments, in-person performances and spectators are not permitted. Sports – Players, participants and officials in organized sports (recreational, amateur and professional) can practice and train with up to 10 people indoors and up to 25 people outdoors without social distancing. Masks are recommended when you can’t maintain a minimum physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from others. Virtual events are permitted with a maximum of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors and need to follow their COVID-19 Prevention Plan.
Weddings, funerals and faith gatherings	Faith gatherings can have up to 10 people indoors and up to 25 people outdoors with social distancing. Drive-in faith services have no limit on the number of vehicles, but you can only be in a vehicle with your household (the people you live with). Wedding ceremonies and funerals (including receptions and visitation) can have up to 10 people plus the person conducting the ceremony indoors and up to 25 people plus the person conducting the ceremony outdoors.

Recreation activities
Bingo, cards, darts and pool	Activities like bingo, cards, darts and pool hosted by licensed establishments can resume if they follow the Guidelines for Games and Activities in Licensed Establishments (PDF).
Fitness and recreation	Day camps (indoor and outdoor) can operate with up to 15 people (including staff and volunteers) in each individual camp group without social distancing. Fitness establishments (like gyms, yoga studios and climbing facilities) and sport and recreation facilities (like pools, arenas, tennis courts and large multipurpose recreation facilities) can operate at 50% capacity.
Museums and libraries	Museums and libraries can operate at 25% capacity and need to follow public health measures like social distancing and masks

Travel
Travel to Nova Scotia	People from outside Nova Scotia can request a compassionate exception to enter Nova Scotia to attend a funeral or service (like a burial or celebration of life) for an immediate family member. Seasonal property owners and people moving to Nova Scotia permanently can apply to travel to Nova Scotia by completing the Safe Check-in Form and must self-isolate for 14 days when they arrive in Nova Scotia.
Travel within Nova Scotia	No restriction on travel within Nova Scotia. Travel is permitted within Nova Scotia (you can travel outside your community).

Travel

Travel to Nova Scotia

People from outside Nova Scotia can request a compassionate exception to enter Nova Scotia to attend a funeral or service (like a burial or celebration of life) for an immediate family member.
Seasonal property owners and people moving to Nova Scotia permanently can apply to travel to Nova Scotia by completing the Safe Check-in Form and must self-isolate for 14 days when they arrive in Nova Scotia.

Travel within Nova Scotia

No restriction on travel within Nova Scotia. Travel is permitted within Nova Scotia (you can travel outside your community).

Kelly MacMillan

Kelly MacMillan lives in Port Hawkesbury with her husband and son. She has been part of the team at 101.5 The Hawk for more than 25 years, sharing stories from around the region. You can join her weekdays from 10am until 2pm.
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