HALIFAX —
As Nova Scotia reported no new cases of COVID-19 for the first time in over two months, the province also announced it is increasing the social gathering limit, and will allow campgrounds to reopen next month.
“Today we come before you with good news – no new cases to report, zero — that’s exciting,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “Your sacrifice and your patience and your hard work is paying off.”
The province reported its first three presumptive cases of COVID-19 in mid-March and the numbers continued to grow steadily, peaking around mid-April. The highest number of cases reported in a single day was 55 cases on April 23.
The numbers have dwindled over the past month, with single-digit cases being reported since May 5.
“This is a significant and encouraging milestone,” said Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang. “It hasn’t been easy, but we are seeing positive results.”
Gathering limit increased to 10
The province has slowly been easing some of the COVID-19 restrictions and on Friday announced that 10 people can now gather in a group, effective immediately. Before Friday, only five people could gather.
However, Strang said the rules around physical distancing still apply; a distance of six feet or two metres must be maintained among those in the group, except for those who are members of the same household or family household bubble.
The household bubble is not expanding at this time. Only two households can “bubble” and they must be mutually exclusive. People in the same “bubble” do not have to practise physical distancing.
“I know many of you wanted to add to the family bubble household, but we are not there yet, sorry, because that involves physical contact, and we will still need to limit that,” said McNeil.
“But 10 of you can gather in the driveway, in the backyard, in the park, or even inside your house, as long as you stay six feet apart.”
The 10-person gathering limit applies both inside and outside.
Weddings and funerals
The province is making an exception for weddings and funeral services held outdoors, which 15 people can attend, in addition to the officiant.
“Our province has experienced a lot of death,” said McNeil. “Families need to come together to celebrate the life of their loved one.”
The 10-person rule still applies to weddings and funerals held indoors.
“I hate to be a damper on these joyous events, but at this time, we need to make sure that numbers are limited, so the officiant is the only extra person,” clarified Strang. “If you want a photographer or a DJ or something like that, they would be included in your number of 10 indoors or 15 outdoors.”
Events, sports, faith gatherings and businesses
Strang said the 10-person gathering limit applies to social gatherings and arts and culture events, such as theatre performances and dance recitals.
“If it makes sense to have a musician host a small performance with nine other people all maintaining physical distancing, that would be fine,” he said.
It also applies to faith gatherings, though drive-in services are allowed, provided those in attendance remain in their vehicles.
Strang said faith gatherings can be held inside or outside, with physical distancing.
“It’s important that they continue to follow other safety precautions such as not passing things like collection plates or communion between people,” he said.
He also discouraged against singing.
“There’s now evidence that people singing actually significantly increases the spreading of respiratory droplets, increasing the risk of transmitting the virus that causes COVID-19,” he explained.
As for sports, he said 10 people can practice on a soccer field, for example, as long as they keep their distance from one another.
“But they can’t play a typical game of soccer because that would involve close contact,” said Strang. “They also cannot have two separate groups of 10 on the same field.”
The 10-person rule also applies to businesses whose main function is gatherings, such as theatres, concerts, festivals and sporting activities, and to businesses that are too small to ensure physical distancing.
Strang said it doesn’t apply to fitness facilities, but that they must have a plan that addresses how they control numbers to ensure social distancing, among other things like handwashing and increased hygiene.
Gyms can reopen on June 5, along with most businesses that were forced to close at the start of the pandemic in March.
Campgrounds
The province will allow private campgrounds to open on June 5, for all types of campers.
Private campgrounds can only operate at 50 per cent capacity and must ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distance between campsites.
“One thing I’ve discovered is Nova Scotia has a lot of avid campers and we want you to get back out and enjoy the outdoors,” said McNeil.
Provincial campgrounds will open to Nova Scotians on June 15. The reservation line will open on June 8.
A schedule of which campgrounds are open for reservations and the days they open can be found on the provincial parks website. Reservations can be made online or by phone starting at 9 a.m. on those days.
Campgrounds will not accept reservations from out-of-province visitors and only registered campers will be allowed to enter campgrounds.
The number of available campsites has been reduced by 30 per cent to allow for physical distancing and a minimum of 20 feet between individual campsites.
The province says common areas will be cleaned more frequently, signs to promote physical distancing and other healthy practices will be posted, and there will be changes to the on-site check-in process to minimize physical contact with park employees.
All provincial park events are cancelled until at least June 30.
Playgrounds and group facilities at campgrounds will remain closed until public health restrictions are lifted.
Group camping sites, yurts and cabins will be closed this season.
The province says pools can start maintenance work to prepare for reopening, likely in time for summer, though a date has not been set.
Sleepover camps will not be permitted this year.
“When you’re bringing numbers of kids together for a week or two weeks, they’re sleeping in bunk houses together, eating together, activities throughout the day, there’s just too much of a level of risk there,” said Strang.
Slow, measured steps
Strang noted that the rules might be confusing to some Nova Scotians who wonder why they can go to a restaurant but can’t hug their grandchildren.
He explained different settings and activities come with different levels of risk, which is taken into consideration when making decisions.
When deciding whether an activity or gathering carries a low or high risk, Strang said he considers how many people would be involved, the chance of close contact, whether physical distancing can be maintained, and whether the setting would allow for the spread of COVID-19.
“This is about taking measured steps so we can reopen … we have to do this slowly and carefully,” he said.
“It is not gone, even though our epidemiology looks very good. It is still here, it’s still circulating in other part of the country and internationally.”
1,055 cases; 978 recovered
The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 1,034 tests on Thursday.
No new cases were identified.
To date, Nova Scotia has 40,914 negative test results, 1,055 positive COVID-19 test results and 59 deaths.
Fifty-two of the 59 deaths involved residents at Halifax’s Northwood long-term care home, which has seen the most significant outbreak of the virus in Nova Scotia.
In a news release, the province said one more person has recovered from COVID-19, for a total of 978 recoveries.
However, in the same news release, the province also indicated that two more Northwood residents have recovered from the virus.
Thursday, the province reported 16 active cases at Northwood, involving 12 residents and four staff members.
Friday, the province reported 14 active cases at Northwood, involving 10 residents and four staff members.
CTV News reached out to the province for clarification on these numbers and received the following response:
“As. Dr Strang has previously stated, data is received from different sources and entered into our system. We report the information each day, but there may be delays that result in the data not reconciling.”
Based on Friday’s numbers, there are 18 active cases in the province, with 14 of those cases linked to Northwood, leaving four outside of Northwood.
There are still eight people in hospital and three patients in the intensive care unit.
CTV News reached out to the province for clarification on hospitalizations and whether there are Northwood residents in hospital.
The Department of Health and Wellness provided this statement on Wednesday:
“Throughout the pandemic, there have been residents of [long-term care facilities] in Nova Scotia admitted to hospital due to COVID-19. However, due to the small number of these hospitalizations, we cannot provide more information about the current cases for privacy reasons.”
The province’s confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90.
Sixty-two per cent of cases are female and 38 per cent are male.
The cases are broken down by the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s four zones. The central zone, which contains the Halifax Regional Municipality, has seen the most significant number of cases:
western zone: 54 cases
central zone: 905 cases
northern zone: 45 cases
eastern zone: 51 cases
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to self-isolate at home, away from the public for 14 days.
Anyone who travels outside of Nova Scotia must also self-isolate for two weeks.
The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, has been extended to June 14.
List of symptoms expanded
Last week, the province expanded the list of symptoms for which it is screening.
Anyone who experiences one of the following symptoms is encouraged to take an online test to determine if they should call 811 for further assessment:
Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting
Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.
In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.
“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.
There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.
Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.
Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.
In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.
Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
___
Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.
New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.
The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.
Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.
Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.
“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”
McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.
But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.
The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.
He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.
“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.
“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.
McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”
McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.
He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.
“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
