Jump to sections in this article:
Overview of today’s cases
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories

Nova Scotia has announced 581 new cases of COVID-19 today, Monday, Dec. 27.

By Nova Scotia Health zone, the new cases break down as:
• 420 Central
• 62 Eastern
• 42 Northern
• 57 Western

Additionally, there is a new outbreak (the second recent outbreak) in a ward at the Halifax Infirmary, with fewer than five patients testing positive.

Due to the holiday weekend, hospitalization data are not provided today.


Vaccination

Due to the holiday weekend, vaccination data are not provided today.

Appointments for booster are now open to people 50 and over for whom 168 days have passed since their second shot.

Vaccination appointments for people 5 years of age and older can be booked 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.


Testing

Nova Scotia Health labs completed 4,851 yesterday, with total positivity rate of 12%

The testing protocols have changed. Now, if you test positive with a rapid (antigen) test, you no longer will follow that up with a PCR test. Instead, you are assumed to definitely have COVID, and you and your household are to self-isolate as required.

But take-home rapid testing kits are no longer widely available.

Pop-up testing has been scheduled for the following sites (take-home tests are also available at these sites):

Monday, Dec. 27
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm

Tuesday, Dec. 28
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 4-6pm

Wednesday, Dec. 29
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm

Thursday, Dec. 30
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm

Friday, Dec. 31
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-4pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm

Saturday, Jan. 1
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-4pm

The province has announced that more pop-up testing sites will be established across the province, with details to be announced this week.

You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or here. No medical experience is necessary.


Potential exposure advisories

School-connected case notifications are paused for the holidays.

There were have been a few COVID exposure advisories.

We’ve collected all the active advisories for potential COVID exposures on bus routes and flights here.

You can zoom in and click on the icons on the map below to get information about each site.


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Tim Bousquet is the editor and publisher of the Halifax Examiner. Twitter @Tim_Bousquet Mastodon

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