COVID-19 Vaccine Second Dose Rescheduling
Nova Scotians who received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on or before April 24 and are scheduled to receive their second dose on or before Aug. 7 can now reschedule their appointments for earlier dates. If you provided an email address at the time of booking, you’ll receive a rescheduling notice by email. If not, you can call the toll-free line at 1-833-797-7772 to reschedule or request an email address be added. The province says that rescheduling notices for second dose appointments will continue to be sent over the coming weeks as vaccine supply is received.
Nova Scotia reports 8 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday
The province reported eight new cases of COVID-19 and 11 recoveries yesterday. Four of the new cases are in Central Zone. Two of them are close contacts of previous cases, one is related to travel and one is under investigation. The remaining cases include two in Western Zone, which are travel-related, and two in Eastern Zone, which are close contacts of previously-reported cases. While there were 10 cases reported Saturday, Friday’s single-digit count of eight new cases was the lowest daily case count since mid-April. The province currently has 140 active cases. There are 10 people hospitalized, including six in ICU. In the release, Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, said he was pleased to see new cases in the single digits as a result of everyone’s hard work. “The way out of this third wave is to get vaccinated with both doses but also to get tested regularly,” Strang said.
One of the confirmed cases in Central Zone is connected to a Junior High School in Bedford. The school will be closed to students until Wednesday, and they will be learning from home. The closure will allow for testing of close contacts and a deep cleaning of the school. Public Health is contacting close contacts, who will be asked to test and self-isolate for 14 days.
The province continues to expand its asymptomatic testing strategy with the new Nova Scotia COVID-19 Rapid Screening Program for Workplaces. The program supports employers across the province to put in place regular screening for their staff. Nova Scotia has partnered with the Chambers of Commerce from across Nova Scotia, the seven Regional Enterprise Networks, CDL Rapid Screening Consortium and the federal government. So far, 275 businesses and organizations representing more than 50,000 employees have signed up to take part. To participate, they must have a testing plan approved by the Department of Health and Wellness in place. Test kits are provided by the province for free through the federal government.
Elmsdale veterinarian warns pet owners to watch for blue-green algae in lakes and ponds
A veterinarian is warning dog owners in Nova Scotia to be on the lookout for blue-green algae in lakes and ponds this summer after two dogs died following a potential exposure to the bacteria.
Juanita Ashton with the Elmsdale Animal Hospital says one of the two Golden Retrievers was dead and the other was suffering from seizures and diarrhea when they arrived at the clinic north of Halifax. She says the cause of the illness has not yet been confirmed, but the symptoms were consistent with an exposure to toxic blue-green algae blooms. Ashton says the big risk for dogs is that they often ingest water when they go swimming, which can be potentially fatal depending on the bacteria level. Residents of the area around Grand Lake, near Enfield, were informed of the danger of the water after one person was hospitalized and two dogs died last week. Ashton says dogs can develop mild reactions such as skin rashes or suffer from organ failure and even death. She says dog owners should keep an eye out for bright green scum on lakes and ponds, especially during a heat wave. (The Canadian Press)
Erratic driving complaint leads to two arrests
Two men in their 20s are facing multiple charges after attempting to flee from police responding to an erratic driving complaint near Antigonish on Thursday evening. The Mounties say an RCMP vehicle was sideswiped by a truck while responding to the call involving two vehicles on Highway 105 in Glendale. Police say they later located one of the suspect’s vehicles on Highway 4 in Lower South River and after a failed attempted to pull it over, used a spike belt to get the truck to stop and arrest the driver. RCMP say the driver of the second vehicle was later arrested at a home in Colchester County without incident. A 23-year-old man from Debert is facing charges of Flight from Police, Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance, Impaired Operation of a Conveyance and Refusal to Comply with a Demand. And a 26-year-old man from Truro is facing charges of Flight from Police and Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance. Both were released from custody and are scheduled to appear in Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court in August. (With files from the Canadian Press)
Local Relay for Life raises $17,808.40 for the Canadian Cancer Society during virtual event
The Pictou County Relay For Life was held virtually over the weekend, with the community raising $17,808.40. The Canadian Cancer Society says funds will be put toward groundbreaking research, advocacy and prevention efforts, and support programs and services.
Winners of 2021 East Coast Music Awards unveiled; Neon Dreams snags album of the year
Classified, Les Hay Babies, Maxim Cormier, Rich Aucoin and Rose Cousins have emerged as the big winners of the 2021 East Coast Music Awards, snagging two of Atlantic Canada’s biggest music prizes each. The awards were announced Sunday evening as part of a show hosted by Heather Rankin and livestreamed on the ECMA’s social media platforms. Top accolades went to Halifax’s Neon Dreams for album of the year, Prince Edward Island’s Catherine MacLellan for songwriter of the year and Cape Breton’s Beolach for fans’ choice entertainer of the year. New to the awards this year was the category of African Canadian artist of the year, which went to Halifax’s Zamani. The late Rita MacNeil was also inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Altogether, artists from Cape Breton earned six ECMA awards, mainland Nova Scotia claimed 16 awards, New Brunswickers took home nine, P.E.I. artists snagged four and artists from Newfoundland and Labrador claimed six. The first batch of ECMA award winners were announced Thursday evening during a virtual show that included live performances. Next year’s ECMA awards will be held in Fredericton — returning to the New Brunswick capital for the first time since 2008. (The Canadian Press)
