1. Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  2. Reopening plan

Reopening plan

Nova Scotia’s reopening plan takes a phased approach to safely easing restrictions. The 5-phase plan is based on ongoing progress of provincewide vaccination rates and improvements of public health and healthcare indicators like COVID-19 activity and hospitalizations.

Enjoying summer and fall safely

The reopening plan safely eases restrictions over 5 phases as vaccination targets are reached and case numbers and hospitalizations decline. This allows Nova Scotians to safely enjoy summer with public health measures in place while we get most of our population fully vaccinated. Once that happens, we should be able to further ease restrictions and move in to a new normal of living with COVID-19 during the fall.

Each phase is based on COVID-19 activity, hospitalizations and vaccination rates. Phases are expected to last between 2 to 4 weeks if targets are met in each phase. Testing continues and is monitored throughout all phases.

Phase 4 in effect
  1. Phase 1 Moved to phase 2 16 June
  2. Phase 2 Moved to phase 3 30 June
  3. Phase 3 Moved to phase 4 14 July
  4. Phase 4 We are here
  5. Phase 5 Expected date 4 October

Moving through the phases

To move through each phase, Government of Nova Scotia looks at COVID-19 activity, hospitalizations and vaccination rates.

Declining COVID-19 case counts

Declining COVID-19 hospitalizations, including critical care

Increasing vaccination rate in people 12+

Plan overview

Phase 1 reopening

During phase 1 we can start having more social connections, including creating a consistent group of 10 for your close social bubble outdoors and participating in some activities in small groups. Businesses and services start to reopen and gradually ease restrictions.

continuing care education fitness and recreation gatherings and social contacts personal services restaurants and bars retail travel

Phase 2 reopening

Phase 2 further expands outdoor and indoor activities and will increase capacity for businesses and services.

continuing care fitness and recreation gatherings and social contacts museums and libraries personal services restaurants and bars retail

Phase 3 reopening

Phase 3 continues to expand social activities and gatherings and remove restrictions from travel. This phase allows easier travel into Nova Scotia for Atlantic Canadians and also continues to expand capacity for businesses and services.

continuing care fitness and recreation gatherings and social contacts personal services retail travel

Phase 4 reopening

Phase 4 continues to expand access to social connections and capacity for businesses, services, events and activities.

continuing care fitness and recreation gatherings and social contacts personal services retail workplaces

Phase 5 reopening

Phase 5 is when we start to move into living with COVID-19. This includes removing most restrictions, gathering limits and public health measures.

continuing care travel

Public health measures

Continue to follow all public health measures to keep everyone safe. Stay up to date on restrictions and guidance and restriction alerts by county.

COVID-19 test
COVID-19 test

Gathering limits

Hand washing

Masks

Self-isolation

Social distancing

Symptoms

Travel

Vaccination