Unless there are extenuating circumstances for those returning to the province to visit family or even summer homes, the provincial government says the answer will be no.

The travel ban on all people arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador from outside the province came into effect on Monday.

The only people now allowed in are residents, asymptomatic essential workers, and those who have been permitted entry under extenuating circumstances.

Many who are from the province, and elsewhere, return every summer to visit family and summer homes.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the intention of the order is to control the importation of cases from other places in the country and world.

She says there are areas in the country that have a lot more cases than we do, therefore, unless there is a justified reason that needs to be considered, visiting family and summer homes will be a hard no.

Meanwhile, Premier Dwight Ball says looking at what’s happening outside the province, numbers continue to rise steadily in some jurisdictions, and many people would be traveling through other provinces to get here.

Ball says that highlights the fact the virus is still in other provinces, and they’re working with Dr. Janice Fitzgerald to do whatever they can to prevent the virus from getting inside Newfoundland and Labrador.

As for what an end to the travel ban might look like, Dr. Fitzgerald says that depends on what happens in this province, across the country, and around the world.

She says it depends on what our own situation is in terms of the number of imported cases in the province, or if we’re in a similar situation to where we are now.

Dr. Fitzgerald says if they’re still seeing large outbreaks elsewhere in the country, they will obviously be more cautious about lifting the ban, but it will very much depend on what they see going forward.