7 COVID-19 deaths reported in N.S. as most vaccine passport restrictions lifted
CBC
Phase 1 of Nova Scotia's pandemic reopening plan came into effect Monday as the province announced seven new deaths related to COVID-19.
Proof of vaccination for discretionary activities such as going to restaurants, gyms and sporting events is no longer required.
However, restrictions remain in place for high-risk places such as hospitals and long-term care homes.
Last week, Premier Tim Houston announced the provincial proof-of-vaccination mandate would be largely lifted Monday. He said all restrictions, including mask mandates, would be lifted in Nova Scotia on March 21 "if everything stays on course."
The Halifax Regional Municipality has also dropped its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for municipal employees, students, work placements, volunteers and suppliers.
The municipality said masking and distancing requirements for indoor public places and Halifax Transit will remain in place, but may change in keeping with public health directives.
Last week, the province's health authority said it would not allow health-care workers who refused vaccination to return to work when the province drops its proof-of-vaccination requirement.
In early December, the province placed more than 1,000 public sector workers who refused to adhere to the vaccination policy on leave. That included 323 Nova Scotia Health staff.
The seven deaths reported Monday include:
The province noted most deaths reported to its disease information system, Panorama, are reflective of "virus in the past ... and not the situation today." This is because information is added to the system after a death is identified as COVID-related, which can take days or weeks to investigate and report.
There were 45 people in designated COVID-19 units at hospitals as of Monday, including 10 in the ICU. The age range of those in hospital was five to 92, with a median age of 59.
Of those in hospital:
Less than 10 per cent of Nova Scotia's eligible population is not vaccinated. The province says 92.1 per cent of Nova Scotians have received their first dose, and 86.7 per cent have received their second dose.
To date, 81 Nova Scotians have died during the Omicron wave that began in December.
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