Strang's advice for Easter weekend? Be careful as the pandemic isn't over

The province's chief medical officer of health says this Easter weekend is an opportunity for Nova Scotians to model what they've learned over the last two years of the pandemic, including protecting those who are most vulnerable.

"Some people have basically turned off the switch: COVID is over. We can just get back to life as normal. No, you cannot," Dr. Robert Strang told CBC Radio's Mainstreet on Tuesday.

Strang spoke with host Jeff Douglas about what he hopes Nova Scotians keep in mind this long weekend, and why he continues to urge people to mask up in indoor public spaces, even without a mandate in place. 

This is a condensed version of their conversation that has been edited for clarity and length.

You can listen to their full interview here:

I'd like to gauge your concern, I guess, as we head into this weekend, where many people will be gathering with family, going to church, maybe bringing a loved one who might be vulnerable to a gathering. 

There's a number of steps that people need to really continue to pay attention to and maybe even more attention as you're thinking about getting together around Easter. 

First of all, is the importance of vaccination. I can't stress strongly enough being up to date with vaccinations. For all adults now, 18 above, that really includes a third dose, a booster dose, and we're just rolling out a fourth dose now in the next few weeks ... knowing your vaccine status and the vaccines statuses of people around you is important as to how you gather. Certainly if you're sick in any way — if you have even very mild headache, scratchy throat, things like that, in the next few days — don't go to gatherings.

Continue to wear masks. Even though they're not mandated, we say it's a strong recommendation from Public Health ... If you're in larger groups, when you're not actively eating and drinking, we still recommend wearing a mask, especially if you're in indoor spaces.

Make sure you have rapid tests on hand. We have them all over the province — libraries, MLA offices, a number of different places. So testing before you go to the family get-together this weekend is very important. 

And then the last thing is really about who should get together. People who are at increased risk for getting COVID, especially severe COVID, they need to think carefully about who they get in close contact with ... so it's age, the older you are really starting at around age 65 and above, if you have underlying health conditions. But also being aware of somebody who maybe has not or cannot get their full vaccination status.

If people have had a recent infection and we say within the last 90 days, well, if they have, then they probably have a higher level of protection, so you can more safely gather people who had a recent infection. 

We're saying right now with COVID [to] get together in small, consistent groups. Now is not the time to have the whole family of 30 or 40 to get together for the first time in two years.

Do you think Nova Scotians are just done with it, as far as having a rule in place to keep masks on?