Premier Houston’s decision to eliminate all COVID-19 restrictions by March 21 will leave Nova Scotians without critical information they have come to rely on over the past two years. COVID-19 reporting will shift from a daily to weekly schedule, making it almost impossible to know what’s happening in the communities and hospitals around us.

“Living with COVID-19 doesn’t mean ignoring the signs,” says Health and Wellness critic Patricia Arab. “If the Houston government is asking Nova Scotians to live with the virus, people need to have accurate information to know what they’re living with.”

One irrefutable consequence of the virus is its impact on hospitals; Dr. Strang warned at yesterday’s briefing that the dire situation in acute care will continue for a while yet.

Until that pressure eases, it’s imperative that the Houston government shares the reality of the health care system with Nova Scotians, something the Nova Scotia Liberal Party has repeatedly called on.

“Eliminating restrictions shouldn’t mean leaving us in the dark on what’s really going on,” says Arab. “Transparent reporting of our hospitals needs to be a priority for this government. We all want this pandemic to end, but we can’t wish it away or stop reporting the facts on the ground.”