The province’s top doctor is reminding Nova Scotians it’s best to reign in our travel plans this Christmas.
Dr. Robert Strang is recommending you keep your celebrations close to home.
“Let’s not go crazy,” Strang says. “Now is not the time to be just thinking I’m going to travel all over the country or all over the world. Be careful and cautious.”
He says travel within Canada this holiday season could even be risky as cases spike in many regions.
There have also been dozens of suspected and confirmed cases of the Omicron variant recently reported throughout Canada.
“There’s more virus around in New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, than there is in Nova Scotia,” Strang says. “Now is the time to enjoy the increased freedoms, if you will, and opportunities we have in Nova Scotia.”
Strang advises taking a cautious approach even within our province.
He suggests keeping travel short, gatherings small, and not filling up our calendars with social events.
Strang also reminds us no matter where you go and who you visit, it’s best to follow all public health measures to keep everyone safe.
Fake Vaccine Certificates Selling for $50
Nova Scotia is gearing up to tackle phoney vaccine certificates.
Dr. Strang says his friends reported being offered a fake pass while they were out for dinner.
“People that I know, that my wife and I went out to dinner with, were offered for $50 dollars proof of vaccination as they were going back to their car,” Strang says “That’s one of the reasons we’re pushing using the QR reader.”
The app scans the QR code on the documents and is better able to detect fraud.
Strang adds changes are coming to public health orders.
Work is underway to clarify the rules and penalties for individuals caught using a phoney certificate.