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Another person has from COVID-19 in Nova Scotia — a man in his 80s who lived in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone.

Through the pandemic, 116 Nova Scotians have died from COVID-19.

Yesterday, 15 people were newly admitted to hospital because of COVID, and 16 who had previously been admitted because of COVID were discharged, meaning that there are now 58 people in hospital who were admitted because of COVID symptoms, four of whom are in ICU. (The hospitalized number does not include those who were admitted to hospital for other reasons but tested positive for COVID during the admissions screening, nor those who contracted COVID in the hospital outbreaks listed below.) The 58 hospitalized range in age from 39 to 100 years old, and the average age is 67. Of the 58 in hospital, 56 were admitted during the Omicron wave.

The vaccination status of the hospitalized is:
• 6 (10.3%) people have had three doses
• 34 (58.6%) have had two doses but not three
• 3 (5.2%) have had one dose
• 15 (25.9%) are unvaccinated
Note that less than 10% of the population is unvaccinated.

Additionally, the province announced 616 new cases of COVID-19 today. The new cases are people who received a positive PCR test result from a Nova Scotia Health lab; this does not include people who tested positive using a take-home rapid (antigen) test.

By Nova Scotia Health zone, the new cases break down as:
• 332 Central
• 103 Eastern
• 69 Northern
• 112 Western

Hospital outbreaks

There is a new outbreak in a ward at Northside General Hospital in North Sydney. Fewer than five patients have tested positive.

There are also new cases in five ongoing hospital outbreaks:
• Abbie Lane — 3 new cases, for a total of fewer than 10
• Northside General — 2 new cases for a total of fewer than 10
• Northside General (a different ward) — 1 new case, for a total of fewer than 5
• Victoria General — 1 new case for a total of fewer than 10
• New Waterford Consolidated — 1 new case for a total of 14

Public Health estimates that there are 6,796 active cases in the province. The actual number is likely much higher.

Vaccination

Yesterday, 14,318 doses of vaccine were administered. The number of doses in each vaccine category (first, second, third) is no longer being reported,

According to the Deptartment of Health, by end of day yesterday, 90.2% of the entire population have received at least one dose of vaccine:
• 7.3% with one dose only
• 61.6% with two doses but not three
• 21.3% with three doses
• 9.8% unvaccinated

Appointments for boosters are now open to people 30 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.

There are many drop-in Pfizer vaccine clinics scheduled, starting next week, several for kids five years old and older.

Additionally, the province has scheduled several appointment-based vaccination clinics for booster shots, as follows:

New community clinics will offer vaccine by appointment starting:

  • Thursday, January 6, at the Halifax Forum
  • Monday, January 10, at the Acadia Festival Theatre in Wolfville
  • Monday, January 17, at Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth
  • Monday, January 24, at the Nova Scotia Community College campus in Truro.

Some existing COVID-19 testing centres will also offer vaccine by appointment. The following centres will start vaccinations on Monday, January 10:

  • Rath Eastlink Community Centre, Truro
  • Pictou County Assessment Centre, New Glasgow
  • Cumberland County Assessment Centre, Amherst
  • Antigonish Market Square, Antigonish
  • Grand Lake Road Fire Hall, Sydney
  • Berwick Fire Hall, Berwick
  • Mariners Centre, Yarmouth.

The Digby Station testing centre will offer vaccine by appointment starting Monday, January 24.

Testing

Nova Scotia Health labs completed 3,807 PCR tests yesterday, with a positivity rate of 16.2%.

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:

Tuesday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 4-6pm
New Germany Legion, 11am-3pm
Brooklyn Civic Centre, 11am-3pm

Wednesday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm
Bridgetown Fire Hall, 11am-3pm
Windsor Legion, 11am-3pm

Thursday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Annapolis Royal Legion, 11am-3pm
Enfield Fire Hall, 11am-3pm

Friday
Chester Basin Fire Dept., 11am-3pm
Pictou Legion, 11am-3pm

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

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

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