UPDATED AUGUST 24: The province has clarified some details for students who were already self-isolating in Nova Scotia prior to August 21. These details have been updated below and can also be found here.  

To:                   Dalhousie students

From:               Ivan Joseph, Vice-Provost Student Affairs
                         Verity Turpin, Assistant Vice-Provost Student Affairs

Date:                Thursday, August 20, 2020

Re:                   NEW TESTING requirements for COVID-19 for students entering Nova Scotia from outside Atlantic Canada

Dear students,

Please read this communication carefully as it details important safety measures from the Government of Nova Scotia — some of which are new. This information is particularly important for those of you travelling to join us in Nova Scotia this fall from outside Atlantic Canada.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are working closely with public health officials to help ensure our university community is safe for our students, staff, and residents of the surrounding community. We all have a role to play to ensure Nova Scotia continues to be safe.

To prevent the spread of this virus in our communities, the Nova Scotia provincial government has established rules for post-secondary students arriving in the province from outside Atlantic Canada. These rules are the law in Nova Scotia as part of the public health order under the Health Protection Act.

REQUIRED TRAVEL FORM

All students entering Nova Scotia from outside Atlantic Canada on or after August 20, 2020 must complete the Nova Scotia Safe Check-in. This includes students coming from all other Canadian provinces/territories and from other countries.

Once you submit the form, you will be given directions about steps you need to take as required under the public health order.

REQUIRED SELF-ISOLATION

All students entering Nova Scotia from outside Atlantic Canada must self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

REQUIRED COVID-19 TESTING (NEW)

All students entering Nova Scotia from outside Atlantic Canada on or after August 20 must get three COVID-19 tests during their self-isolation period.  

After you complete the travel form, Nova Scotia Health will email you three COVID-19 test appointments and tell you the location for them. It will either be on campus or nearby. Nova Scotia Health may also call you to give additional instructions.

If you are already in Nova Scotia and began your self-isolation off-campus prior to August 20, you do NOT need to fill out the Nova Scotia Safe Check-In or complete three COVID tests. The province has clarified that it is focusing on following up with students already self-isolating in residence only. Complete your 14-day self-isolation period as you originally planned.

Canadian students are reminded to bring their provincial health card when they come to Nova Scotia.

OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES

There are many other mandatory public health measures in place in Nova Scotia, such as staying 2 metres/6 feet apart from others and wearing a non-medical mask in indoor public places. Please familiarize yourself with the rules in Nova Scotia. For more information specifically for students and their parents, please read the post-secondary fact sheet. We encourage you to also follow @nsgov and https://www.facebook.com/nsgov/.

If you are planning to travel to Nova Scotia this fall, make sure to review Dalhousie’s Arriving in Nova Scotia page for a summary of what to expect, and visit dal.ca/coronavirus for other information about how Dalhousie is working to support you and your studies during this pandemic.

Everyone has to play their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Students have a responsibility to protect each other, the staff at their institutions, and the communities where they live. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with the self-isolation and testing requirements, and all the public health measures in place to help keep us safe.

If you should have any questions, please contact us at COVID19@dal.ca.

Sincerely,

Ivan Joseph
Vice-Provost Student Affairs

Verity Turpin
Assistant Vice-Provost Student Affairs