Schools will return to in-person classes next week in Nova Scotia.
Ventilation systems for the 71 schools slated for upgrades have arrived, according to Premier Tim Houston, and have been distributed.
At today’s COVID-19 briefing, Houston shared a message to teachers and parents anxious about the return.
“I understand the anxiety and the degree of hesitation that people are experiencing but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, our schools are safe and the best place for our children is in school. This is the advice of public health.”
He asks parents to keep sick kids home, as they have done in previous years.
There are now 60 people in hospital due to COVID-19 in Nova Scotia and five people in the ICU.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Doctor Robert Strang outlined changes to the province’s testing strategy.
Testing will now focus on centres for people who have symptoms or are identified as close contacts, outbreak testing, workplaces that support vulnerable people, schools, community distribution centres and areas with case surges.
Strang says the Omicron variant has changed their approach to testing.
“Given the amount of virus that is circulating in our province we can no longer identify, or need to identify, every single case of COVID-19” says Strang. “We need to focus our testing resources, along with other resources, on helping to prevent severe outcomes.”
