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Today’s numbers
Vaccination
Testing
Today’s numbers
Three more Nova Scotians have died from COVID-19. The deceased were:
• a woman in her 50s who lived in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone
• a woman in her 70s who lived in the Northern Zone
• a man in his 70s who lived in the Eastern Zone.
In total, 128 Nova Scotians have died from COVID.
There are now 85 people in hospital who were admitted because of COVID symptoms and are still in COVID units, 12 of whom are in ICU. Those 85 range in age from 0 to 100 years old, and the average age is 68. The average hospital stay is 6.8 days.
Additionally, there are:
• 72 people who were admitted to hospital for other reasons but tested positive for COVID during the admissions screening or who were admitted for COVID but no longer require specialized care
• 112 people in hospital who contracted COVID in the hospital outbreaks
The 85 people now hospitalized because of COVID and still in COVID units have the following vaccination status:
• 10 (11.8%) have had 3 doses
• 53 (62.4%) have had 2 doses
• 4 (4.7%) have had 1 dose
• 18 (21.2%) are unvaccinated
Note: only 9.3% of the entire population is unvaccinated.
Nova Scotia additionally announced 696 new cases of COVID-19 today. The new cases are people who received a positive PCR test result from a Nova Scotia Health lab; it 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:
• 382 Central
• 95 Eastern
• 63 Northern
• 156 Western
Based on PCR test results, Public Health estimates that there are 5,430 active cases in the province; the actual number is undoubtedly much higher.
Hospital outbreaks
There are new cases at two ongoing hospital outbreaks:
• Cape Breton Regional — 3 new cases for a total of fewer than 10 in that ward
• Valley Regional — 1 new case for a total of fewer than 10 in that ward
Long-term care outbreaks
There is also a new outbreak at the Taigh Na Mara long-term care facility in Glace Bay, with 1 staff and 1 resident testing positive.
Due to staffing shortages at nursing homes, the province yesterday issued a plea for “health care workers not currently in the workforce” to fill a variety of “temporary, short-term and long-term paid positions” in the homes.
Vaccination
Yesterday, 18,072 doses of vaccine were administered:
• 533 first doses
• 306 second doses
• 17,233 third doses
By the end of the day yesterday, 90.7% of the entire population has received at least one dose:
• 7.5% with 1 dose only
• 49.4% with 2 doses but not 3
• 33.8% with 3 doses
• 9.3% unvaccinated
Appointments for boosters are open for people 18 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, several for kids five years old and older.
Additionally, the province has scheduled several appointment-based vaccination clinics for booster shots.
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 4,402 PCR tests yesterday, with a positivity rate of 15.8%.
If you test positive with a rapid (antigen) test, 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:
Thursday
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Enfield Fire Hall, 11am-3pm
Tatamagouche Legion, 11am-3pm
Arichat OLA Parish Hall, 11am-3pmFriday
Halifax Central Library, 11am-6pm
Chester Basin Fire Department, 11am-3pm
Pictou Legion, 11am-3pm
St. Peter’s Lions Club, 11am-3pmSaturday
Halifax Central Library, 11am-6pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm
Glace Bay Legion, 11am-3pmSunday
Halifax Central Library, 11am-6pm
Knights of Columbus (KOC) Hall (New Waterford), 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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