Jump to sections in this article:
Overview of today’s cases
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia announced 20 new cases of COVID-19 today, Wednesday, Nov. 24.
By Nova Scotia Health zone, the new cases break down as:
• 12 Central
• 6 Northern
• 2 Eastern
• 0 Western
Another staff member at the East Cumberland Lodge nursing home in Pugwash has tested positive. So far, a total of 32 residents and 11 staff members at the home have tested positive, and three of the infected residents have died.
There are now 172 known active cases in the province. Eighteen people are in hospital with the disease, six of whom are in ICU. Thirty-one people are considered newly recovered, which means they are no longer contagious and not necessarily that they aren’t sick.
Vaccination
At end of day yesterday, 84.4% of the entire population (including young children) have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 80.8% have received at least two doses.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang today laid out how and when vaccines for children will become available.
The children’s vaccinations will arrive in Nova Scotia sometime this week — this is later than in other provinces because the province has asked the federal government to break the vaccine into child-sized doses before arriving in Nova Scotia, so they can be delivered directly to pharmacies once they arrive.
“Once we have certainty of the delivery date and time, we will open up appointments and this will be announced publicly,” said Strang. “Pharmacies and the IWK Health Center will be our main vaccinators and they will be ready to start getting vaccine for for children on December 2nd.”
Strang said that supply of vaccine is not an issue, and the province has the ability to vaccinated 80% of the approximately 65,000 children aged 5-11 “before Christmas.”
As with adults, children will need two doses of vaccine, eight weeks apart. Strang did not know for sure, but said he expected that the second appointment will be booked along with the first.
Update: Health Department spokesperson Marla MacInnis contacted me this afternoon to correct Strang:
Hi Tim,
Just following up on your question to Dr. Strang today about whether a second dose will be booked automatically. It will not be; however, an email will be sent to the address provided prompting you to book your second dose.
Those children who have their 12th birthday in the interval between their first and second doses will receive a regular adult-sized second dose.
Strang suggested that those parents with children who fear needles consult this IWK page for help.
For the time-being, 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
Today’s new cases break down by age cohort as:
• 8 are aged 0-11
• 1 is aged 12-19
• 2 are aged 20-39
• 4 are aged 40-59
• 4 are aged 60-79
• 0 are aged 80+
Once again, there’s a case missing from that breakdown. I don’t know why.
The active cases across the province are distributed as follows:
Central Zone
• 38 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network
• 10 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network
• 37 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network
• 2 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network
• 0 in the West Hants Community Health Network
• 5 not assigned to a Community Health Network
Total: 92
Eastern Zone
• 1 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network
• 0 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network
• 3 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network
Total: 4
Northern Zone
• 20 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network
• 2 in the Pictou Community Health Network
• 32 in the Cumberland Community Health Network
Total: 54
Western Zone
• 6 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network
• 6 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network
• 10 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network
Total: 22
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 3,323 PCR tests yesterday. This does not include the antigen tests 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:
Wednesday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm
Annapolis Royal Legion, 11am-6pmThursday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Annapolis Royal Legion, 11am-6pmFriday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pmSaturday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pmSunday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
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 several potential COVID exposure advisories and new school exposures yesterday.
We’ve collected all the active advisories for potential COVID exposures on bus routes and flights here. I’ll be adding schools to the map tonight.
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 province may have the ability to give 80% of the 5 – 11 year old age group their first shot before Christmas, but I don’t think it is realistic to think that that is what will happen. December is often a very busy and chaotic month for those with younger children. Some parents may quickly get that first shot into their kid’s arm, but I expect that many more will wait until after the holiday season.