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Overview
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia announced one new case of COVID-19 today, Thursday, August 26.
The case is in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone and is under investigation; it is a person aged 40-59.
The vaccination status of recent cases and deaths is made public on Fridays.
There are now 50 known active cases in the province. No one is in hospital with the disease. One person is considered newly recovered, which means they are no longer contagious and not necessarily that they aren’t sick.
Vaccination
Yesterday, 4,582 doses of vaccine were administered, of which 3,800 were second doses. This continues the uptick from the daily doses administered in recent days. A total of 1,435,958 doses of vaccine have been administered, of which 678,570 were second doses. As of end of day yesterday, 77.6% of the entire population have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 70.2% have received two doses.
However, the approximately 8,000 military personnel stationed in Nova Scotia were vaccinated through the military’s vaccination program and are not included in the above percentages; if they are included, then the double-dosed percentage increases to 71.1% of the entire population.
The threshold for Phase 5 of the reopening plan, when most Public Health restrictions will be lifted, is 75% of the entire population having received two doses; at the current pace of vaccination, that should happen around September 15.
Of those eligible to be vaccinated (those 12 years old and older), 87.9% have received at least one dose, while 79.8% have received two doses. That’s a rough estimate on my part, using my best guestimate of population age cohorts. Again, if we include military personnel, the double-dosed percentage increases to a whopping 83.6% of those eligible.
People 12 years old and older can also book a vaccination appointment here.
People in rural areas who need transportation to a vaccination appointment should contact Rural Rides, which will get you there and back home for just $5. You need to book the ride 24 hours ahead of time.
Demographics
The active cases across the province are distributed as follows:
Central Zone
• 14 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network
• 6 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network
• 9 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network
• 0 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network
• 3 in the West Hants Community Health Network
• 4 not assigned to a Community Health Network
Total: 36
Eastern Zone
• 2 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network
• 0 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network
• 2 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network
Total: 4
Northern Zone
• 0 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network
• 1 in the Pictou Community Health Network
• 8 in the Cumberland Community Health Network
Total: 9
Western Zone
• 1 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network
• 0 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network
• 0 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network
Total: 1
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 3,739 PCR tests yesterday. This does not include the antigen testing administered at the pop-up testing sites.
You do not need a health card to get tested.
Pop-up testing (antigen testing) is for asymptomatic people over 16 who have not been to the potential COVID exposure sites (see map below); results usually within 20 minutes. Pop-up testing has been scheduled for the following sites:
Thursday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm
Cole Harbour legion, 11:30am-7pm
Bedford Legion, 11:30am-7pmFriday
Cole Harbour legion, 11:30am-7pm
Bedford Legion, 11:30am-7pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or here. No medical experience is necessary.
You can also get PCR testing at the Nova Scotia Health labs by going here. Appointments can be made for the IWK, or for various locations in each of the health zones (appointments may not be available at each site).
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia Health issued several potential COVID exposure advisories last night.
We’ve collected all the active advisories for potential COVID exposures on bus routes and flights here.
The updated potential COVID exposure advisory map is below; you can zoom in and click on the coronavirus icons to get information about each site.
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