Nova Scotia further eases COVID-19 restrictions for sports, arts and culture

Nova Scotia has further eased COVID-19 restrictions for organized sports and the arts and culture sector.

Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief medical officer of health, said Friday people may now gather in groups of up to 60 without physical distancing for sports practices, games, competitions, and for arts and culture rehearsals and performances.

Strang said that for sports competitions, theincrease will only apply to teams that regularly compete against each other.

"This increase of 10 people meets the operational and safety needs for some sports and does not substantially change the risk of exposure to COVID-19," he said.

The change was announcedas the province reportedone new caseof COVID-19, bringing the total number of known active cases to nine.

The new case was identifiedin the eastern zone and is related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada. The person has beenself-isolating, as required.

Earlier in the week, the government announced that sports teams could start playing games, but with restricted travel and no spectators. Arts and theatre performances can also take place without an audience.

"I know many in the arts and culture sector were worried about the impacts of our current restrictions, because they rely on audiences," Strang said.

He said Public Health is looking for potential solutions for the arts and culture industry that abide byCOVID-19 safety guidelines and the province's current epidemiology.

Meanwhile, Strang said those communities will have to hold performances online.

Strang said theatres or sports facilities can hire a business tolive stream the events, as long as the production team is no more than 10 people and they must maintain physical distance from others in the building.

If a theatre or sports facility chooses to do this on their own, the people recordingmust be included in the maximum of 60 participants.

However, facility and venue staff are not included in the number.

The province also said Fridaythat seven long-term care homes will be replaced or undergo significant renovations after Premier Stephen McNeil announcedan increase of $8 million per year under the long-term care infrastructure plan.

The plan will add 236 long-term care beds and replace hundreds more, the government said in a news release.

The Northwood campus in Halifax is poised to receive 44 of the new beds.Last year, 100 beds were removed at Northwoodto convert shared rooms to single rooms after COVID-19 swept through the facility,killing 53 residents in the spring.

On Friday, Strangstressed the importance of caring for one another during the pandemic.

"We are living in difficult and extraordinary times and with this pandemic, mental health has been at the forefront more than ever," Strang said.

"We have been required in countless ways to find healthy ways to decrease stress and deal with our difficult emotions while remaining physically distant from each other. This is no small feat."

Strang said due to the pandemic, the province's mental health and addictions program has accelerated the launch of several free online tools to help those in need.

The province said Nova Scotia labs completed 1,588 COVID-19 tests on Thursday.

From Jan. 22-28, 533 tests were administered at the rapid-testing pop-up sites in Halifax and Sydney.

The provincial health authority's mobile testing unit is in Masstownuntil 4:30 p.m. on Friday.Rapid testing is also available on Friday from 1 p.m. to7 p.m. atthe Amelia Saputo Centreat St. FX University in Antigonish and at theHalifax Convention Centre in theArgyle Atrium from 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Vaccines being used up

As of Thursday, 14,589 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the province, including2,714second doses.

Strang said any remaining vaccines werescheduled to be used Friday and into next week.

The province has been facingsupply constraints after Pfizer-BioNTech announcedthere would be no new shipments of the vaccine to Canada this week as itpausesproduction in Belgiumto increase long-term capacity.

Strangdid say more vaccines are expected to arrive in Nova Scotia by the end of next week.

"As we get vaccines, it will be continue to go into arms or be set aside for people's second dose," he said.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• Newfoundland and Labradorreported four new cases Friday, one related toMarine Atlantic.The province has13 active cases and one person isin hospital with the virus.
• New Brunswickreported 16 new cases on Friday and an additional death,for a total of 17 since the pandemic began. There are now313 active cases.Four people arein hospital, with two in intensive care.
• P.E.I.reported one new caseon Thursday. The province had six active cases.