Dear King’s students,
There have been many COVID-19 updates since cases began to rise in Nova Scotia last week. I know this is a lot to absorb. To help you keep up to date, please read the points below and be sure to follow the guidelines if you’re planning to travel.
The Province has informed us that students cannot travel to Nova Scotia in the spring if not attending classes until the fall semester. If you are not a permanent resident of Nova Scotia or you are not enrolled in summer classes, you can be refused entry at the border.
Please note, this information below relates to current semester pick-up or drop offs:
- Students coming to attend a NS post-secondary institution (e.g. for summer courses) or returning to their permanent family residence in Nova Scotia can enter the province. They must self-isolate for 14 days.
- Those who are dropping off/picking up a student from within Nova Scotia, must travel directly to the place of residence, make minimal stops, and follow public health directives (wear a mask, social distance, wash hands), and then return home as soon as possible.
- People can enter the province to pick up or drop off post-secondary students. Other than during the brief drop off/pick up, they must self-isolate while in Nova Scotia – it is ok to enter and leave the province the same day.
- People bringing post-secondary students home can enter the province. They must self-isolate for 14 days. If they’re coming from New Brunswick, they can follow the NS NB travel protocol instead.
- Students must isolate in a separate space, although they can have a shared bathroom with others in the household as long as it is cleaned between uses. If this cannot be done, the entire household must isolate from each other. The same is true for people who bring students home (unless they are coming from NB in which case they can follow the NS NB travel protocol).
- People from outside Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador are not allowed to enter Nova Scotia unless their travel is considered essential, or they are permanent residents of NS.
You can follow @nsgov and @novascotiahealthauthority on Instagram for frequent COVID-19 updates. As we know, these restrictions are subject to change.
More information will be shared over the summer in anticipation of welcoming you back to campus in the fall. If you have questions about COVID restrictions, visit the NS COVID website, including the page for post-secondary students, or email postsecondary@novascotia.ca.
There is community spread in the Halifax area. It’s important to get tested and diligently follow the current Public Health restrictions.
- If you don’t have any symptoms, visit one of the rapid pop-up testing sites.
- If you have a mild symptom, were at an exposure site or are close contact of a positive case, book a test online.
This is a challenging time. Please take care of yourselves—there are supports and services available year-round—and be kind to those around you.
Thank you,
Katie
Katie Merwin
Dean of Students
University of King’s College
