***Nova Scotians aged 35 to 39 are now eligible to book appointments for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. According to Public Health, there are about 63,500 eligible Nova Scotians in that age group. COVID-19 vaccination appointments can be made online or by phone at 1-833-797-7772. Appointments cannot be booked directly through a community clinic, pharmacy or physician. Walk-ins will be turned away.
110 new COVID-19 cases reported in Nova Scotia on Thursday
Nova Scotia reported 110 new cases of COVID-19 and 155 recoveries on Thursday. There are 83 cases in Central Zone, 12 in Eastern Zone, nine in Western Zone and six in Northern Zone. Nova Scotia has 1,572 active cases of COVID-19 with 85 people in hospital including 15 in ICU.
COVID-19 pressure on Nova Scotia intensive care units to peak late next week: doctor
The strain on Nova Scotia’s intensive care units due to an influx of COVID-19 patients should peak by the end of next week, the province’s top critical-care doctor said yesterday. COVID-19 patients are expected to continue to arrive in hospital and to be admitted to critical care over the next three to four weeks, Dr. Tony O’Leary, medical director of critical care for Nova Scotia Health, told reporters. Nova Scotia Health says it has activated a plan to increase intensive care capacity because of the influx of critical care cases in Halifax, which has borne the brunt of the outbreak. O’Leary said Halifax-area patients can be transferred to hospitals in Sydney, Truro, Kentville and Yarmouth, adding that fewer than five patients have been transferred so far from Halifax to hospitals in the northern and western health regions. (The Canadian Press)
Starting at 8:00am today, permanent Nova Scotia residents and people travelling for essential reasons must apply to enter the province. They will apply through the established Nova Scotia Safe Check-in, and should do so about a week before they intend to travel. Applications for child-custody visits and exempt travellers (such as military, first responders, airline crew and people accessing essential health services) will be approved automatically. All others will be reviewed within three business days.
Province reaches 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in arms on Thursday
Staff at the Nova Scotia COVID-19 community vaccine clinic at Cape Breton University are joined by Derek Mombourquette, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development (at right), to celebrate the 400,000 mark (NS Government)
On Thursday, the province reached 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Nova Scotian’s arms. That’s a doubling of the amount of vaccinations in less than a month, after celebrating 200,000 doses administered on April 16. As of end of day Wednesday, about 37.5 per cent of Nova Scotians have had one or more doses of the vaccine. Some further details from the province after Wednesday’s announcement that Nova Scotia was pausing the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as the first dose. Government says anyone who is scheduled to receive their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine will receive an email canceling that appointment and asking them to book a new appointment for either a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Premier Iain Rankin and Dr. Robert Strang will provide an update this afternoon beginning at 1 p.m.
New Glasgow Regional Police lay charges for failing to follow Public Health Orders
New Glasgow Regional Police have charged two men for violating the Public Health measures. A 47-year old Halifax man, who was in New Glasgow, was charged for travelling outside his home municipality. That carries a fine of nearly $700. Late Wednesday afternoon, Police responded to a business on East River Road in New Glasgow about a man who was not wearing a mask. The 35-year-old man was charged for failing to wear a mask and fined over $2400.
No change in the price of gas in Nova Scotia this morning.
Regular self-serve gas remains at 129.7 cents per litre in the local area. Diesel increased 1.4 cents to 118.7-cents per litre.
Diversity training, gender parity needed in hockey in Nova Scotia: report
A diversity task force says anti-racism training and greater diversity at the organization level will contribute to making hockey more inclusive in Nova Scotia. The Hockey Nova Scotia diversity and inclusion task force released its findings Wednesday, outlining nine recommendations to help eliminate discrimination in the sport. The task force was created in 2019 in response to incidents of racism in hockey, including one involving a Nova Scotia First Nations teen who reported being the target of racial slurs while on the ice. The recommendations for Hockey Nova Scotia’s board of directors include achieving within five years gender parity and 30 per cent representation of other under-represented groups, such as people of colour, those with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community, on boards, councils, committees and staff. The report also suggests developing training for board members, coaches, volunteers and other partners to address anti-racism, cultural sensitivity and anti-discrimination. The report drew on an online survey the task force launched last fall that gathered information from 841 people in the province’s hockey community. (The Canadian Press)
Stellarton’s Blayre Turnbull and Halifax’s Jill Saulnier among players named to Canada’s Olympic centralization roster
Hockey Canada has announced the 28 players chosen to go to Calgary with Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2021-22 season, leading up to Olympic Winter Games in Beijing next year. The roster includes Stellarton’s Blayre Turnbull and Halifax’s Jill Saulnier. All players and staff will relocate to Calgary at the end of July for centralization and prepare for the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship being held in August at a yet-to-be-determined location, before resuming their Olympic training. Canada’s final 23-player roster for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games is to be unveiled in late December.
