Dear faculty, staff, and students,

The Province of Nova Scotia has announced a change to public health directives relating to travellers from New Brunswick that will impact students. Please see the full announcement below.

Acadia has plans in place to support our residence students from New Brunswick during quarantine (self-isolation).

Because Acadia’s residence operations are already in a quarantine state, all students arriving on campus since January 1, 2021, are currently required to self-isolate (quarantine) effective immediately.

Acadia students coming to a residence in January must notify Acadia Safety and Security at 902-585-1103 at least 30 minutes before arrival for instruction. Residence students need Safety and Security support to access their residence room.

If these changes impact you, please review the provincial rules for essential travellers (students are included in this category) that apply to household self-isolation. Visit Nova Scotia Public Health to arrange for COVID-19 testing (available on Acadia’s campus from NS Public Health).

Nova Scotia Travel Advisory – Change in New Brunswick

The Nova Scotia provincial government has just announced a change in public health directives relating to self-isolation requirements. Effective January 9 at 8 a.m., any traveller from New Brunswick must now complete a 14-day self-isolation period upon arrival in Nova Scotia.

Students who started their travel in Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador and who are travelling through New Brunswick with minimal or no stops will not be subject to the 14-day self-isolation period. Try not to make any stops in New Brunswick. If a brief stop is necessary, please ensure you practice public health protocols such as keeping a physical distance of 2 metres away from other people, wear a non-medical mask, and wash or sanitize your hands often.

As a summary of the current requirements, students arriving in Nova Scotia from anywhere except Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador need to:

1. Complete a Nova Scotia Safe Check-in Form before arriving: https://travel-declaration.novascotia.ca/
2. Self-isolate for 14 days after arriving in the province
3. Complete a digital check-in daily during self-isolation

Students are also encouraged to get a COVID-19 test on day 6, 7, or 8 of self-isolation. Schedule your test using the COVID-19 self-assessment tool: https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/

While the border restriction with New Brunswick is not retroactive, students who arrived from New Brunswick or had visitors from that province in the past 14 days are encouraged to get tested immediately and consider a second test five to seven days later. They are encouraged to self-isolate while waiting for the first test result.

International students must also use the federal government’s ArriveCAN app to provide their information to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Students can download the ArriveCAN app or call 1-833-641-0343 for assistance. International students have particular self-isolation requirements. Learn more.

Questions? Visit the Coronavirus website: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/education/#post-secondary or email PostSecondary@novascotia.ca.

Anyone in Nova Scotia who thinks they have symptoms of COVID-19 should do the COVID-19 self-assessment. You can call 811 if you cannot complete the self-assessment online.