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COVID Guidelines
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Phase 5 Reopening and Proof of Vaccination Policy

Friday, October 1, 2021

Phase 5 of Nova Scotia's reopening plan is starting Monday, October 4 with a cautious approach.  Most restrictions will be lifted while some will remain in place.

  • There will no longer be a requirement for physical distance. 
  • There will no longer be gathering limits for events hosted by a recognized business or organization. The informal gathering limits of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors will remain in place. 
  • Masks will still be required in indoor public places.
  • Proof of full vaccination will be required for non-essential events and activities.
  • Current border restrictions will remain in place and be expanded to include people coming from PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador. That means self-isolation will still be required after travel for people who aren’t fully vaccinated (at least 7 days plus 2 negative tests). International travellers will continue to follow federal requirements.
  • Otherwise, the only restrictions that will remain in place for the general population are those related to management of COVID-19 cases. For example, people with symptoms must still get tested, isolate while they wait for results and continue to isolate if they test positive.

Proof of Vaccination

The proof of full vaccination protocol and resources for businesses and organizations where it applies are available at: http://novascotia.ca/POV.

It has been clarified that proof of vaccination will be required for dining in at food establishments, including fast food restaurants and coffee shops, but not for take-out, delivery, drive-through or food courts. While proof of vaccination is not required for rental accommodations, it is required for dining rooms/restaurants within accommodations.

Proof of full vaccination is not required for full-time or part-time staff of businesses and organizations that host events and activities that are subject to the protocol. It is required for volunteers who host, lead, or organize these events and activities. A list of the events and activities is in section 3.1 of the protocol.

Businesses and organizations are encouraged to set their own vaccination policies. Any policies should take legal and ethical implications into consideration. People who are not fully vaccinated need to be able to access essential services.

Businesses and organizations are not able to keep records of people’s proof of vaccination without their consent because it is private health information. However, they can get consent from people to keep this information. A template consent form is available in the guide for businesses and organizations that will need to check for proof of full vaccination.

Proof of Full Vaccination Resources:

To help support your organization and staff in implementing the proof of full vaccination protocol, the following resources are available: