Table 2.
Early responses to the COVID-19 outbreak by provincial and territorial governments.
| Action | Province or territorya | ||||||||||||
|
|
BC [17] | AB [18] | SK [19] | MB [20] | ON [21] | QC [22,23] | NB [24] | NS [25] | PE [26] | NL [27] | YT [28] | NT [29] | NU [30] |
| Self-isolation advised if returning from China | Feb 4 | Feb 6 | Feb 13 | Feb 7 | Feb 6 | Feb 8 | Feb 7 | Feb 6 | Feb 28 | Feb 6 | Feb 7 | Mar 10 | N/Ab |
| Self-isolation advised if returning from a cruise | Feb 19 | Mar 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Mar 10 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Mar 10 | N/A |
| Self-monitoring of symptoms advised if traveled anywhere | Feb 24 | Mar 6 | Mar 11 | Feb 27 | Mar 10 | Mar 11 | Mar 1 | Mar 9 | Mar 9 | Mar 6 | Mar 13 | Mar 14 | Mar 4 |
| Self-isolation advised if returning from Iran and China | Mar 3 | Mar 2 | Mar 5 | Mar 5 | Mar 3 | Mar 3 | Mar 9 | Mar 13 | N/A | N/A | Mar 13 | Mar 10 | N/A |
| Self-isolation advised if returning from Italy | N/A | Mar 12 | Mar 9 | Mar 12 | Mar 13 | Mar 10 | Mar 11 (health care workers only) | Mar 13 | N/A | N/A | Mar 13 | Mar 14 | N/A |
| Self-isolation advised if returning from outside of Canada | Mar 12 | Mar 12 | Mar 14 | Mar 15 | Mar 14 | Mar 12 | Mar 19 | Mar 15 | Mar 13 | Mar 14 | Mar 16 | Mar 15 | Mar 15 (announced Mar 18) |
| Screening event participants (symptoms, international travelers) | Mar 3 | Mar 10 | Mar 16 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Social distancing recommended | Mar 7 | Mar 13 | Mar 11 | Mar 12 | Mar 15 | Mar 12 | Mar 12 | Mar 13 | Mar 13 | Mar 13 | Mar 16 | Mar 17 | Mar 13 |
| Testing announced for travelers to at-risk areas and for local transmission | Jan 21 | Feb 26 | Feb 13 | Jan 28 | Jan 24 | Jan 22 | Feb 10 | Feb 6 | Feb 28 | Feb 6 | Jan 14 | Feb 5 | N/A |
| Testing expanded to any international traveler with symptoms and contacts | Feb 25 | Mar 6 | Mar 11 | Feb 27 | Feb 28 | Mar 8 | Mar 1 | Mar 9 | Mar 9 | Mar 6 | Mar 16 | Mar 14 | N/A |
| All respiratory specimens tested for COVID-19 | N/A | Mar 12 | NA | Mar 12 | Mar 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| First testing center(s) opened | Mar 13 | Mar 15 | Mar 13 | Mar 12 | Mar 13 | Mar 9 | Mar 16 | Mar 11 | Mar 11 | Mar 21 | Mar 26 | Mar 23 (drive-through) | N/A |
aAbbreviations: BC: British Columbia; AB: Alberta; SK: Saskatchewan; MB: Manitoba; ON: Ontario; QC: Quebec: NB: New Brunswick; NS: Nova Scotia; PE: Prince Edward Island; NL: Newfoundland and Labrador; YT: Yukon Territory; NT: Northwest Territories; NU: Nunavut.
bN/A: not applicable.