Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health has confirmed the province is in its sixth wave of COVID-19, but public health measures are unlikely to be reinstated.
In a news conference Thursday, Dr. Robert Strang said Public Health’s approach to monitoring the pandemic has changed as the province moves into a transitional phase.
“We are now at the point where we can no longer justify the use of restrictive measures and mandates,” said Strang. “My MOH colleagues across the country agree that widespread restrictions are no longer necessary in the management of this pandemic.”
“They impact mental health, people’s jobs and the economy and their social connections. And those harms tend to have a disproportional impact on marginalized and disadvantaged populations.”
When asked about the Houston government’s latest advertising campaign encouraging Nova Scotians to “Let’s Get Back Out There,” Strang said people should strike a balance between being careful and living their lives.
“The public health advice and my advice is that people can be out and about but make your choices wisely and follow precautions carefully.”
But with nearly 7,000 cases reported in Thursday’s weekly update, not everyone is keen to do so.
“I see where they are coming from but I just don’t think it’s time yet to get back to it,” said Courtney May, who says she’s limiting her contacts.
“Maybe come summertime when the cases have slowed down we can get back to it, but I just don’t think I’m ready to get back to it.”
The province spent $113,000 on the ad campaign, which it says is aimed at boosting consumer confidence.
“Concurrent with the consumer confidence campaign is a campaign reminding Nova Scotians of the tools that we have developed over the last couple of years and in terms of getting back out there, but also keeping themselves safe,” said Susan Corkum-Greek, minister of EconomicDevelopment.
The opposition insists there should also be more transparency around the COVID-19 case numbers.
“But the government has also restricted information on COVID case counts and hospitalizations and so people are out living life as if COVID isn’t here,” said Liberal MLA Zachary Churchill.
“Unwarranted of what the state of the virus is and what the state of our hospitals are.”
Still, Strang said he feels the province is in a position to manage the pandemic without restrictions through high vaccination rates, institutional knowledge of how the virus is spread, and the use of early treatment options.
“We’ve been dealing with COVID now for more than two years and I’m confident that Nova Scotians know not only what to do to keep themselves and others safe, but why these actions are important.”