PM SAYS “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.  GO HOME AND STAY HOME”

In the words of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “Enough is enough. Go home and stay home. “ That’s his response to people not obeying the latest social distancing rules as the number of cases of COVID-19 is now up over the 2000-mark in Canada. That means the highly-contagious illness has more than doubled across this country in just three days.

 

The Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics originally slated to be held this July will be pushed back by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.  The International Olympic Committee made the decision after speaking with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and local organizers.

 

Grade 12 students in Nova Scotia will have the chance to go into schools this week to get supplies needed to complete their senior year online as the COVID-19 situation continues to develop. Teachers and staff are also going to be able to have limited access to facilities this week once they’re completely sanitized. But if you’re a student on the 14-day isolation list, you’ll have to have somebody else get your school supplies for you. Other jurisdictions have closed schools already. In New Brunswick, the premier said Friday that schools will be closed indefinitely. In Saskatchewan, students have been told their current grades are considered final and they’ll move on to the next grade level next year. Education officials here in Nova Scotia are meeting with the Teachers Union (NSTU) to talk about their plan, and expect to have a decision on Nova Scotia schools within a few more days.

 

13 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 ANNOUNCED IN NOVA SCOTIA

Chief Medical Health officer Dr. Robert Strang says there does not yet appear to be any community-based spread of coronavirus in Nova Scotia, and the number of tests being done in Halifax is helping put more people on the negative list. But yesterday’s numbers show 13 new cases of COVID-19, and a child younger than 10 is on that list of people infected. Dr. Strang says so far, all of the cases in this province are connected to people who have been travelling or to people who have connected with those travellers. He says the important thing is for people to isolate from one another. One of the popular sayings the experts say we need to remember is that “staying at home is an act of courage.”

The 14-day mandatory isolation order is still in effect with the provincial State of Emergency, as are the fines for people gathering in numbers greater than 5, and fines for Nova Scotia employers who don’t put distance among their workers.  As well, traffic remains restricted on the border near Amherst, with one line for essential workers like medical staff, police officers, truckers and essential manufacturing work. The other line on the border is for regular travellers.

***Anyone who has travelled outside of Nova Scotia, must self-isolate for 14 days. If you have travelled outside of Nova Scotia or been in close contact with someone who has travelled and are experiencing fever or new cough you should complete the online questionnaire before calling 811. The online questionnaire can be found at: https://811.novascotia.ca/
Nova Scotians can find accurate, up-to-date information, handwashing posters and fact sheets at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus

Meanwhile, social media is coming under scrutiny for putting out false treatments and outright lies about COVID-19. A Halifax doctor says an audio file that circulated over the weekend telling people to drink more water is not a treatment or cure for Coronavirus, nor are other social media claims that people under the age of 30 are not as likely to get the infection and that sunlight on your clothing will help kill the virus. Christian Leuprecht is a national security expert at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. He says Russian “bot-farms”, the kind that often put our falsehoods during British, Canadian and U-S elections are at it again on Coronavirus claims. Leuprecht says their malicious claims are meant to keep people sick and dying in Western countries, so that Russia looks better in terms of the pandemic, which its government hopes will strengthen the country’s finances, compared to the disease-stricken economies of Western Europe and North America.

Canada’s border agency is investigating how a woman infected with COVID-19 was able to fly to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport from Los Angeles, only to die within hours. The case, involving a 72-year-old who collapsed and died shortly after landing in Toronto on Saturday, has led to questions about airport and border screening measures. The woman was suffering from a cough and joint pain, and died several hours after landing in Toronto. She had previously been to France and Tahiti. Experts say up to 40 per cent of COVID-19 cases can be undetectable. (Global)

The head of the Nova Scotia Nurses Union says she would call nurses concerned. But Janet Hazelton says they’re not living in fear. She says nurses have worked through things like SARS and the AIDS crisis in years gone by, and they’ll continue to be professional when it comes to this pandemic.

ON the business side of things, Premier Stephen McNeil says this country needs a commercial lending program to allow developers to defer their monthly bank payments during this pandemic. He says that needs to be done on the condition that those payment deferrals are passed along to restaurants, cafes, fashion shops and other small businesses who are operating on low profit margins, and are currently staring at very hard times, as laws are set up to keep people home and safe from the virus.  The Premier adds getting back to normal could take as much as three months or longer, and that we should not be fooling ourselves into complacency.  Medical experts if physical distancing is working, we should begin to turn the corner in the next 7 to 10 days. But don’t expect things to return to normal for months.

911 is only for emergency and immediate life-threatening situations, so only call police non-emergency numbers if you see people not conforming to Nova Scoita’s self-isolating rules in public locations. Constable Ken MacDonald has provided us with a concise list of the municipal and RCMP numbers to be used when you see somebody who refuses to obey the self-isolating rules:

New Glasgow Regional Police
225 Park Street
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
B2H 5B7
Emergency 911
24 Hour Non-Emergency Number (902) 752-1941

Pictou County District RCMP
Stellarton Detachment
177 North Foord Street
Stellarton, Nova Scotia
B0K 0A2
Emergency 911
24 Hour Non-Emergency Number (902) 755-4141

Pictou Detachment
Caladh Avenue
Pictou, Nova Scotia
B0K 1H0
Emergency 911
24 Hour Non-Emergency Number (902) 485-4333

Westville Police
2020 Queen Street
Westville, Nova Scotia
B0K 2A0
Emergency 911
24 Hour Non-Emergency Number (902) 396-2777

Stellarton Police
250 S Foord Street
Stellarton, Nova Scotia
B0K 1S0
Emergency 911
24 Hour Non-Emergency Number (902) 752-6160

 

COMMUNITY CURFEW IMPLEMENTED AT PICTOU LANDING FIRST NATION 

Photo credit: Pictou Landing First Nation Facebook Page

Community Notice (update from Monday, March 24, 2020):

In response to the State of Emergency enforced by The Premier Stephen MacNeil, Pictou Landing First Nation Chief & Council had an emergency meeting Monday to address some concerns.

Community Curfew:

1. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak in NS, Canada and the Country, it has been decided to enforce a community curfew effective Monday March 23, 2020 beginning at 7:00pm.  Curfew will be in effect from 7:00 pm – 7:00 am daily.  There will be no activity in the community during this time.  Community members are allowed to go for walks, but MUST be in their homes by 9:00 pm till 7:00 am.

2. Security will be stationed at checkpoints at both ends of the community with log books to note anyone who enters and leaves the community during the day. Security will patrol the community while working 24/7. People who live in the community can go out of the community from 7:00 am – 7:00 pm.

3. Only in the event of a medical emergency will you be able to leave your home after hours.

4. If you work outside the community and will be required to be outside the community during the community curfew hours, please contact Derek Francis 902.301.9758 so he can ensure your name is in the log books for the security staff.

5. Only essential workers, store deliveries, mail and Band staff who live outside of the community will be permitted from the outside to enter the community.

COVID Rules:

6. Self Isolation and Social Distancing of 6 feet is mandatory for all members of the community.

7. There are to be no community gatherings. This means no visiting, no dances, no parties, or any social events of any kind.

8. Community members who do no adhere to these rules will be escorted to their homes by the RCMP/ Security and can be fined under the Province of Nova Scotia $1000.00 per person, multiple times a day.  This also includes driving around in groups in vehicles.

Health Update:

9. Should you require to go to town for necessities, it should be one member from your household.

10. If you require to go to town for a medical appointment, there should be 2 people maximum in the vehicle. PLEASE NOTE: Shoppers Drug Mart will deliver prescriptions, please call Michelle.

11. With the recent closure of the health centre, there is now a new mobile health line 902.301.6690 that community members can call for prescription refills, medical transportation, prescription pick-up and delivery, milk tokens, etc.

12. All Health Staff will be working from home, but community members can reach out directly to staff or call Michelle Denny during regular business hours (9am-4pm) at 902.301.6690.

13. Any emergency calls made to the new mobile health line after 4pm and on weekends will be forwarded to the Health Director.

14. Medical drivers will not be operating at this time, but PLFN will assist with gas expenses at the Victoria Corner Market for medical appointments. Call Michelle on the new mobile health line for prior approval.

15. For any home care inquiries, call Jyl Cress at 902.301.9965 or Kayla McCulloch at 902.301.9524.

16. There are also several Mental Health Clinicians and Counsellors (listed below) that are available to do counselling sessions over the phone or via video chat for community members, so please do not hesitate to reach out, as this is a stressful time.

Tiana Fusco: 902.754.4632
George Maringpasi: 902.237.4844
Theresa Fraser (Children & Youth): 902.301.9192
Emma Larson (Children & Youth): 902.759.8145
Michelle LeBrun: 782.440.2711

General Community Update:

17. Please keep all animals fenced, kennelled, or on a leash.  Failure to do so will result in the SPCA being phoned.

18. PLFN playground is closed as well as the PLFN beach.

19. Brita’s are still being delivered.

20. For any questions or emergencies relating to Fisheries you can reach out Marsha Mills at 902.921.8432.

   VCM Update:

21. The store has new hours effective today. The store is open 9:00 am – 6:00 pm.  9:00 am – 10:00 am is for Elders only.

22. There is a limit on the number of customers in the store.  It is a maximum of 5 people.

23. There is no longer self serve gas, all gas will be full serve.

24. Remember to WASH your hands often, we can all do our part and fight this together,

Sincerely, Chief & Council