HEALTH CANADA OFFICIALLY APPROVES FIRST VACCINE (12:05 pm WEDNESDAY)
It’s now official. Health Canada has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use coast to coast.
The federal vaccine says the inoculations are safe for use on Canadians, which means that the team responsible for the rollout of vaccines can now begin getting ready for next week’s roll-out. The initial doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in Canada next week, with Tuesday set as the arrival date here in Nova Scotia.
COVID TESTING PRODUCES NEW NUMBERS FOR NS, WITH ONE CASE IN NORTHERN ZONE
Nova Scotia has 78 active cases of COVID-19 in the latest update, with 7 new cases being reported.
One case is in Northern Zone and is related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada. The person has been self-isolating as required.
Two cases are people who work at an Annapolis Valley poultry plant in the Western Zone and are close contacts of previously reported cases.
Four cases are in the Halifax Central Zone. Two are close contacts of previously reported cases. One is connected to Shannon Park Elementary in Dartmouth, which is now closed for deep cleaning until Monday.
Most of the vaccines coming to Nova Scotia next week will be used for frontline health care workers in the Halifax Central zone, with vaccinations available in our part of the province in the weeks and months to come. The prediction is that most Nova Scotians are expected to be offered inoculations by next summer.
The Legion in the Annapolis Valley community of Kingston has until February to decide whether they want to pay their $7500 fine for disobeying COVID rules this past weekend during a game of bingo. The Legion and a gym in Bedford were both hit with that same amount in fines. Kingston Legion officials say they didn’t quite understand how extensive the COVID distancing measures needed to be during their weekend bingo game.
TRUMP’S “U-S FIRST” PLAN, SHOULD NOT AFFECT CANADIANS
This week’s news that Donald Trump wants to sign an executive order making Americans first on the list for any new COVID-fighting vaccines has some people questioning it. Pfizer has issued as statement saying it plans to protect the vaccines it has promised to Canadians. Trump, has faced sharp criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and pundits say he is eager to take credit for the speedy development and distribution of a vaccine. Canada is confident there will be no disruption of COVID-19 vaccine supplies even if the United States blocks their export because vaccines are manufactured in several countries. (Canadian Press)
MCNEIL’S GOVERNMENT GETTING HIGH MARKS FOR ON THE JOB PERFORMANCE – POLL
The latest poll from Narrative Research shows 73 per cent of Nova Scotians are completely or mostly satisfied with Stephen McNeil’s government, which is up from 70 per cent in August. Overall, McNeil’s numbers have seen a significant jump since the start of the pandemic. In February, only 48 per cent of Nova Scotians were satisfied with how the provincial Liberals were doing. In May, that shot up to 77 per cent and the number has remained above 70 % in every survey since.
NORTHERN PULP PERSEVERING ON A REPLACEMENT EFFLUENT SYSTEM
Court documents show Northern Pulp intends to proposed a redesigned effluent treatment plant.
The paperwork in BC Supreme Court, which is handling the creditor protection, shows Mill Manager Bruce Chapman going after the new idea to address some of the problems community stakeholders had with the original plan. Court documents show the Environmental Liaison Committee ready to formally present to Northern Pulp this month. Pictou Landing has turned down joining the Environmental Committee, but has been provided with updates. (With files from Saltwire News, Photo from Stingray News)
TRAIN HITS PEDESTRIAN IN CENTRAL TRURO
A man in his late 20’s from Colchester County is seriously hurt after being hit by a train in Truro yesterday. Truro Police say he was hospitalized after being in a “no trespassing area” of the tracks. It was a freight train that hit him during the lunch hour. There’s no word yet on charges. Hubtown police are still asking witnesses to step forward.
ACOA HELPS NORTHERN NS DISTILLERY
The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) is helping Coldstream Clear Distillery of Stewiacke to make more product with an expansion plan. ACOA says the repayable contribution of eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars will almost quadruple capacity at the company’s Colchester County facility. Coldstream also has operations on James Street in Antigonish.
Award winning Canadian Musician Neil Young has ended his lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign for playing of two of his songs at campaign rallies without permission.
Young had sued the campaign in August for copyright infringement over its alleged unlicensed playing of “Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Devil’s Sidewalk” numerous times at rallies and political events.
His lawyers said at the time that while voters could support the candidate of their choice, the now 75-year-old Young did not want his music “used as a ‘theme song’ for a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”
Young’s lawsuit in Manhattan federal court was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought back to court. (Bing Photo)
NOVA SCOTIA AND BOSTON BREW UP “FROM NOVA SCOTIA WITH LOVE”
A brewery in Boston has produced a new beer to mark the bond with Halifax that sees Nova Scotia send a Christmas tree to the New England city every year.
The tree is meant as a thank-you to the people of Boston for sending help after the Halifax Explosion on Dec. 6, 1917 that devastated the city and killing and injuring more than 2,000 people.
This year, Harpoon Brewery produced a beer called ”From Nova Scotia With Love,” with some help from Big Spruce Brewing in Baddeck.
The beer also had extended conditioning in Glen Breton single malt whiskey barrels from Cape Breton.
The brewery wrote a poem to mark the occasion based on The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, and also produced a video featuring images of the tree being cut and shipped from Nova Scotia to Boston, and of the beer being produced.
The beer is available in New England only, and is only on store shelves in the areas around Boston, New Hampshire and Maine for the next two weeks.
SOFTWARE WEAKNESSES FOR PRINTERS, APPLIANCES ALSO RISKY TO INDUSTRY
Researchers at a cybersecurity company in Boston say they have identified vulnerabilities in software widely used by millions of connected devices — flaws that could be exploited by hackers to penetrate business and home computer networks, causing disruptions.
There is no evidence of any of these intrusions being used on a wide scale. But their existence in data-communications software central to internet-connected devices has prompted the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to flag the issue in a bulletin.
Potentially affected devices from an estimated 150 manufacturers range from networked thermometers to “smart” plugs and printers to office routers and healthcare appliances to components of industrial control systems. The cybersecurity firm Forescout Technologies says the things most at risk are consumer devices including remote-controlled temperature sensors and cameras.
In the worst case, it warns that control systems that govern “critical services to society” including water, power and automated building management could be crippled. Experts are suggesting cutting off industrial control systems from the internet and keeping them isolated from corporate networks as a first step in protecting the systems.
