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Overview
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia announced 10 new cases of COVID-19 today, Friday, August 20.
Nine of the new cases are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone — five are related to travel, three are close contacts of previously reported cases, and one is under investigation.
One of the new cases is in the Northern Zone and it is under investigation.
Two of the new cases are 19 years old or younger, four are aged 20-39, and four are aged 40-59.
Some weeks ago I asked Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang if Public Health could split the 19-and-under demographic between those 11 and under (who are entirely unvaccinated) and those 12-19 (who are highly vaccinated); he said he’d bring that suggestion back to his people. I’ve heard nothing since.
There are now 41 known active cases in the province. One person is in hospital with the disease, and that person is in ICU. One person is considered newly recovered, which means they are no longer contagious and not necessarily that they aren’t sick.
Vaccination
Yesterday, 4,491 doses of vaccine were administered; of those, 3,268 were second doses. So far, a total of 1,422,963 doses of vaccine have been administered, of which 671,921 were second doses. As of end of day yesterday, 77.3% of the entire population have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 69.2% have received two doses.
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), 87.6% have received at least one dose, while 78.4% have received two doses. That’s a rough estimate on my part, using my best guestimate of population age cohorts.
The graph above shows the progress of vaccination over time, as captured weekly on Fridays. The blue line is people with one dose only; the green line is people with two doses; the yellow line is people with at least one dose, and the orange line represents 75% of the entire population.
Between March 15 and Aug. 19, 4,261 people tested positive for COVID. Of those:
• 41 (1.0%) were fully vaccinated
• 248 (5.8%) were partially vaccinated
• 3,972 (93.2%) were unvaccinated
Over the same period, 255 people were hospitalized with the disease. Of those:
• 2 (0.8%) were fully vaccinated
• 28 (11%) were partially vaccinated
• 225 (88.2%) were unvaccinated
Also, over the same period, 27 people died from COVID. Of those:
• 1 (3.7%) was fully vaccinated
• 3 (11.1%) were partially vaccinated
• 23 (85.2%) were unvaccinated
For the above stats, “fully vaccinated” means received the second dose and two weeks had passed. “Partially vaccinated” means received one dose and two weeks had passed. “Unvaccinated” means those not in the other categories.
The drop-in vaccination clinics have closed.
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
• 13 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network
• 8 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network
• 6 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network
• 0 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network
• 0 in the West Hants Community Health Network
• 3 not assigned to a Community Health Network
Total: 30
Eastern Zone
• 4 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network
• 0 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network
• 0 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network
Total: 4
Northern Zone
• 2 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network
• 1 in the Pictou Community Health Network
• 2 in the Cumberland Community Health Network
Total: 5
Western Zone
• 2 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: 2
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 3,207 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:
Friday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm
Dartmouth Summer Sunshine Series, 6-8pm
Centennial Arena, 3-8pm
Halifax Pride Festival, 5565 Sackville St, 8-10pmSaturday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Dartmouth Summer Sunshine Series, 6-8pmSunday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Dartmouth Summer Sunshine Series, 6-8pm
Centennial Arena, 3-8pm
Spryfield Farmers Market, 11am-4:30pm
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 the following potential COVID exposure advisories last night:
Anyone who worked at or visited the following locations on the specified dates and times should visit covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. You can also call 811 if you don’t have online access, or if you have other symptoms that concern you.
Low risk exposures
For the following locations, if you do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 you do not need to self-isolate while you wait for your test result. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you are required to self-isolate while you wait for your test result.
- Giant Tiger (142 S Albion Street, Amherst) on August 14 between 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 28.
- Superstore (126 S Albion Street, Amherst) on August 14 between 9:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 28.
- Sobeys (142 S Albion Street, Amherst) on August 14 between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 28.
- Walmart (46 Robert Angus Drive, Amherst) on August 14 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 28.
- Zara (Halifax Shopping Centre) on August 15 between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 29.
- H&M (Halifax Shopping Centre) on August 15 between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 29.
- Sport Chek (Halifax Shopping Centre) on August 15 between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 29.
- Hollister (Halifax Shopping Centre) on August 15 between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 29.
- American Eagle (Halifax Shopping Centre) on August 15 between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 29.
- Banana Republic (Halifax Shopping Centre) on August 15 between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 29.
- Walmart (141 Damascus Road, Bedford) on August 17 between 10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 31.
- * RISK CORRECTION – originally listed as moderate risk* Burrito Jax (5215 Blowers Street, Halifax) on August 14 between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 28.
High risk exposures
Anyone who was on the following flights in the specified rows and seats are required to follow the isolation and testing instructions in this table as a high risk contact.
- WestJet 386 travelling on August 10 from Vancouver (8:30 p.m.) to Halifax (6:03 a.m.). Passengers in rows 3 to 9, seats C, D, E and F. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 24.
- WestJet 250 travelling on August 14 from Toronto (3:45 p.m.) to Halifax (6:45 p.m.). Passengers in rows 22 to 28, seats C, D, E and F. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 28.
- WestJet 250 travelling on August 16 from Toronto (3:45 p.m.) to Halifax (6:45 p.m.). Passengers in rows 14 to 20, seats C, D, E and F. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 30.
- Air Canada 660 travelling on August 17 from Montreal (8:05 a.m.) to Halifax (10:30 a.m.). Passengers in rows 21 to 27, seats C, D, E and F. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, August 31.
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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The vaccine stats are IMPRESSIVE! Almost no-one doubly vaccinated is getting it.
The message to the unvaccinated is clear! — “Get it now!”
The message to Health Canada is — Step up the approval process for the under 12s now!
Cases are increasing everyday now. Not a big number, but still going up steadily.
Is this the start of our fourth wave?
That is probably what some would say; but I would say it is the result of people moving about a lot more than they may have done in the past. As best I can recall, most of these cases are people who travelled outside our region and their close contacts.
Going forward, I think we need to learn to live with this virus; that, to me, will mean accepting a number of cases may be present at almost any time while doing what we can to keep hospitalizations and deaths low. Covid is not the flu; but we do anticipate (and seem to accept) that a certain number of people will die from the flu each year. I think we will eventually reach a point when the same will be true for Covid.