Province ramping up boosters as COVID-19 cases continue to rise
Nova Scotia on Thursday said it would ramp up its COVID-19 vaccine booster program. Premier Tim Houston said the province will open eligibility for booster shots to those aged 30 and up beginning Monday. Appointments for boosters opened for residents 50 and older last week. The premier said that with an increased supply of vaccine expected in January, the province would add more booster clinics to supplement the work already being largely done by pharmacies. About 500,000 people aged 30 to 49 will become eligible for a booster in January. But Houston said the government needs more people to help with its vaccination program, because the health system is losing staff due to the high transmission rate of COVID-19 in the province, which is forcing workers into isolation. Health officials identified 511 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday – 331 cases in Central Zone, 56 cases in Eastern Zone, 59 cases in Northern Zone and 65 cases in Western Zone. There’s now an estimated 5,106 active cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia. A total of 7,594 cases have been reported over the last two weeks. Officials said 25 people are in hospital, including three patients in intensive care.
Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health, said that public health is closely monitoring hospitalizations. He said “So far it’s very low, about 0.5 per cent,” referring to the percentage of cases that end up in hospital. Strang said “It is ticking upward” but the province is seeing a moderate rise, which gives some comfort, but he added “it’s also not enough to relax at this point in time.” Strang said the speed of the highly infectious Omicron variant means the virus will move quickly through the population. What’s important, he added, is slowing down the spread so the health system isn’t overwhelmed. (With files from The Canadian Press)
Due to the significant surge in COVID-19 cases in the province, N.S. Health says take-home rapid tests are being prioritized for people who have symptoms, or those who have had a known exposure to a positive COVID-19 case. Rapid take-home tests are available for pick-up at testing centres by appointment only. There is a limit of one appointment per person per week for rapid tests.
A COVID-19 outbreak at Pictou Landing First Nation has resulted in 37 reported cases since Dec. 21. Chief Andrea Paul told CBC the virus has swept through multi-generational households — and, in several cases, the entire family has gotten sick. She said the community has received great support from other First Nations communities and Public Health throughout the pandemic and during the outbreak, including calls from Dr. Strang. There have been some recoveries, but Paul said she’s concerned about the elders in the community, although she noted most are fully vaccinated. (With files from CBC)
Houston refuses to set specific health care targets for 2022
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is facing a full range of issues in the new year, including his province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But in an end-of-year interview, he remained noncommittal about specific targeted goals for health care in 2022. The Tories came to power last summer mainly because of their campaign’s singular focus of fixing the problems in the health system. Houston says Nova Scotians should begin to see some progress in 2022 regarding access to primary care. But he says residents should be prepared to see marginal changes to the health system next year. Houston says Nova Scotians should know that the government’s focus will remain on fixing the health system. (The Canadian Press)
Fuel prices up 4 c/L in Nova Scotia
A jump at the pumps overnight in Nova Scotia. Gas is up four cents to $1.384 per litre in the local area. Diesel is up 4.7 cents per litre to $1.408.
Nova Scotia’s top baby names for 2021
Olivia is Nova Scotians’ favourite baby name for 2021. According to Nova Scotia’s Registry of Vital Statistics, the top 10 names for the year are Olivia, Jack, Noah, Oliver, Owen, Levi, Ava, Henry, Benjamin, and William. According to the province, the most popular names usually remain consistent over the years, although there are a few names gaining popularity, including Aurora, Declan and Bennett, while some old favourites like Liam and Charlotte are returning.
Sports:
The Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) is postponing a number of games due to the current Public Health rules in the Maritime provinces. The league says thirty games will be affected from January 5th to January 16th, and it is working on a revised schedule that would tentatively see the regular season restart on January 20th.
