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Overview
Vaccination
Testing
There are now now 57 people in hospital who were admitted because of COVID symptoms, 10 of whom are in ICU. Those 57 range in age from 0 (one is a child under 5) to100 years old, and the average age is 65.
Additionally, there are:
• 52 people admitted to hospital for other reasons but who tested positive for COVID during the admissions screening or who were admitted for COVID but no longer require specialized care
• 105 people in hospital who contracted COVID in the hospital outbreaks
The 57 people now hospitalized because of COVID have the following vaccination status:
• 5 (8.8%) have had 3 doses
• 34 (59.6%) have had 2 doses but not 3
• 3 (5.3%) have had 1 dose
• 15 (26.3%) are unvaccinated
Note: only 9.6% of the entire population is unvaccinated.
Nova Scotia announced 891 new cases of COVID-19 today, Friday, Jan. 14. 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:
• 534 Central
• 198 Eastern
• 77 Northern
• 82 Western
Public Health estimates that there are 6,648 active cases in the province; the actual number is undoubtedly much higher.
The graph above shows the weekly (Sat-Fri) number of new cases for the duration of the pandemic.
The graph above shows the number of weekly cases (green, left axis) and weekly deaths (red, right axis). If deaths lag three weeks behind cases, we may (nothing is certain) see 10-20 more deaths in the next couple of weeks.
The graph above shows the number of weekly cases (green, left axis) and the number hospitalized on Fridays (orange, right axis) for the duration of the pandemic.
Jail outbreak
More than half the prisoners at the Burnside jail have had COVID, reports Zane Woodford.
Hospital outbreaks
There are new cases in three existing hospital outbreaks:
• Northside General (one ward) — 1 new case for a total of 12
• Northside General (another ward) — 1 new case for a total of fewer than 10
• Cape Breton Regional — 1 new case for a total of fewer than 10
Long-term care outbreaks
There are also four new outbreaks at long-term care facilities:
• Wolfville Nursing Home — 3 staff, 5 residents
• Glen Haven Manor in New Glasgow — 6 staff, 2 residents
• Cove Guest Home in Sydney — 14 staff, 11 residents
• Harbour View Hospital (Sydney Mines) — 2 residents
Vaccination
Yesterday, 19,947 doses of vaccine were administered.
According to the Department of Health, 90.4% of the entire population have received at least 1 dose of vaccine:
• 7.3% with 1 dose only
• 56.4% with 2 doses but not 3
• 26.7% with 3 doses
• 9.6% unvaccinated
As of yesterday, just 63% of 5- to 11-year-olds have received their first shot of vaccine, which is an increase of just three percentage points over the past week.
The graph above shows the vaccination progress as captured on Fridays through the pandemic. The yellow line is people with at least one dose of vaccine The blue line is people with only one dose. The green line is people with two doses but not three. The grey line is people with three doses. The red line is 80% of the population.
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
Yesterday, Nova Scotia Health labs completed 5,709 PCR tests, with a positivity rate of 11.9%.
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:
Friday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Chester Basin Fire Dept., 11am-3pm
Pictou Legion, 11am-3pm
Cheticamp Seniors Hall, 11am-3pmSaturday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate., 10am-2pmSunday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-4pmMonday
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pmTuesday
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 4-6pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or here. No medical experience is necessary.
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There is also an outbreak at Arborstone Enhanced Care home in halifax. They reported 3 residents yesterday.