On Wednesday, the Nova Scotia government introduced a complicated new set of regulations that will apply in the province from December 21 through January 10.
“We know the holidays are traditionally a time for a lot of socializing with family and friends, but we also know that gatherings can allow the virus to spread rapidly,” says premier Stephen McNeil. “We ask Nova Scotians to find new ways of celebrating this season while respecting these restrictions that are designed to keep our social gatherings small and our communities safe.”
Starting at 12:01am Monday the 21st, personal bubbles province-wide can expand to up to 10 people. Strang says this will allow people to gather over the holidays in slightly larger groups, but he encourages everyone to keep them consistent. “If you’re going to gather with folks, don’t gather with one group one night, another group another night,” Strang says.
While this change is straightforward, some new regulations apply somewhat differently depending on what part of the province you’re in. For Halifax Regional Municipality and a designated part of Hants county, restaurants and bars will remain closed.
“We’ve had discussions with the restaurant sector. They are OK with keeping them closed in the Halifax area. They understand the rationale is that closing them down was a big part of our ability to get things under control again in Halifax,” says Strang.
But for the rest of the province, restaurants and licensed establishments can re-open on Monday, following guidelines from RANS and ensuring they end service at 10pm, and shut their doors by 11pm.
“What we need to do is reduce the chances that the virus has to spread between people. So in restaurants and licensed establishments, we need to reduce the longer social interactions where people are not wearing masks because they’re eating and drinking,” says Strang.
Then there’s physical activity. Gym facilities and yoga studios can re-open across the province, ensuring they keep to 50 percent capacity and physical distancing of three metres between people if they’re involved in “high-intensity” activities. “Virtual sessions can continue and outdoor fitness classes can also happen,” Strang says.
Sports teams can practice with up to 25 people, but holding games (and anything else with an audience) is still not allowed. Halifax’s recreational facilities will reopen for rentals on the 21st.
“We need to have ways for people to be physically active, both for their physical and their mental health,” Strang says. “So, people can get together up to 25 without distancing, and the without distancing is important because these activities require some playing, people training at a hockey practice need to be in close contact.”
The same goes for the arts industry—which can gather in groups of up to 25 for rehearsals, but performances like live theatre or music and holiday festivals are not permitted this year.
“This is necessary to limit opportunities for the virus to spread,” adds Strang.
But from December 21 to January 10, Nova Scotians will be allowed to hit up their place of worship. Up to 150 people are permitted outdoors at a faith gathering, wedding or funeral ceremonies, or up to 50 percent of capacity indoors up to a maximum of 100 people. (But wedding and funeral receptions are not allowed.)
Strang says this is because of “their importance and their significance, especially at this time of year.” But who are they important to right now?
Christmas, a largely white and Christian holiday, takes place in less than two weeks. But the pandemic has already seen the forfeiture of gatherings for Hannukah, Diwali, Eid Mubarak and other holidays that have taken place over the past nine months.
When asked about the difference between organizations and groups that are allowed to gather and those that aren’t, Strang said there was a rationale.
“Those aren’t social events, but allowing people to get together for other purposes which are important for our individual and our collective health.”
But let’s not forget the importance of restaurants, concerts and live art for our individual and collective health too. Aside from the former having nicer seats, what’s that different from having your soul refreshed with music at a Neptune Theatre show versus at a church service?Â
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2020.
The implication is that the collective health and well-being of the faithful bears more consideration than the health and well-being of the heathens.
Pitting religious observance against arts is clickbait and unfortunate. How about talking to someone who is happy that restrictions are being lifted to allow people to gather for Christmas services for three weeks? Performances happened all fall and will be back once we are out of the 2nd wave. Let people go to church and synagogue for three weeks. We can share.
No way any restaurant in HRM is “OK” with the shut down and if he says they are he’s a liar. He must have asked the restaurant sector in New Glasgow if they were OK with keeping restaurants in HRM shut down. 🙄
Christmas is not just just a “white” holiday: it’s incredibly important to African Nova Scotian, Mi’kmaq and most of our immigrant communities. Their Christian communities/churches is and has been central to their communities, especially when they feel they feel alienated from the larger community in general.
This was definitely written from the point of view of a middle-class, white person who has discarded any faith tradition they might have had. Bully for them, but I wouldn’t denigrate something that’s incredibly important to some of the most vulnerable Nova Scotians. Not all of them identify with, or can afford, to go the Neptune theatre or eat at the local vegan co-op Café.