COVID-19 Troubles

USPA NEWS - Two schools in the Halifax Regional Municipality are the first in Nova Scotia to have confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Halifax, located within the central zone, is the capital of Nova Scotia and is the largest city in the Atlantic Bubble.

While Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland, the 4 provinces that make up the Atlantic Bubble, enjoy low COVID-19 cases, the rest of Canada is seeing thousands of cases with large amounts of community spread. Today Nova Scotia is reporting 5 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of active cases in the province to 23. Two of today's new cases involve students within the Halifax Regional Municipality. It has been reported that both students that tested positive are related. A parent of the two students, one at Graham Creighton Junior High School and the other at Auburn Drive High School previously tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Both students were not in school today and will be in isolation for at least the next 14 days. On Monday, principals at both schools were informing families of all students and all teachers who may have been exposed. Those students and teachers will be staying out of school. All close contacts will be tested.

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said, "The classrooms the two students are in will be closed until further testing can be done. We believe that in these schools the highest risk is the classrooms these kids are in. Closing the schools is not something that public health is recommending at this time."

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said," We are starting to see community spread. Travel is not just the primary cause of all of the cases in the province now. We have had seven cases where we can´t identify a source that is directly related to travel. Therefore, we have to conclude that this may be from local transmission. This is very concerning and an important turn of events for us here in Nova Scotia.“

Both the Premier and Dr Strang expressed frustration about the steady rise in cases this month and are urging Nova Scotians to follow the protocols in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Premier Stephen McNeil went on to say, "This is a wake-up call. COVID is not just entering two of our schools, it´s quickly creeping into a number of our neighborhoods, particularly here in the central zone,“ said Premier Stephen McNeil. “Public health is having trouble tracing a number of those cases. This is very concerning and it tells me that we are not taking COVID seriously.“

Dr. Strang continued to say, "We´ve let our guard down as we got through the summer and COVID was low, but we need to up our game. Dr. Strang also had strong words for people who refuse to wear a mask or face covering. “Stop making excuses because you don´t feel like wearing a mask," he said. The science now clearly shows that it protects others around us by wearing a mask.“

Stephen McNeil said in his closing remarks, "That if cases in the province continue to climb, I won´t think twice about shutting down the economy again. Some people are not taking this virus seriously. If this behavior continues we are going to be in a position to shut our economy down again. I don´t want to do that, but I´m not going to watch COVID overtake a community.“

EDITORIAL NOTE: November 20th, 2020.
The remarks made by Dr. Strang and Premier Stephen MacNeil were communicated at the Tuesday, November 17, 2020 press conference.
Today, Nova Scotia Public Health announced 1 additional COVID-19 at Auburn High School. This case is in addition to the 2 previously announced. Auburn High School will be closed for the next 14 days. This is an evolving situation and updates will be provided as information becomes available.