The Halifax Examiner is providing all COVID-19 coverage for free. Please help us continue this coverage by subscribing.
Jump to sections in this article:
Overview
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia has announced 73 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, September 13
Of the new cases:
• 36 are in Nova Scotia Health’s Northern Zone — 32 are close contacts of previously announced cases, 3 are related to travel, and 1 is under investigation
• 31 are in the Central Zone — 11 close contacts, 9 travel, 11 under investigation
• 4 are in the Eastern Zone — 3 travel, 1 under investigation
• 2 are in the Western Zone — 1 close contact, 1 travel.
According to the Department of Health:
There is a large cluster of linked cases in a defined group in Northern Zone. Most of the group is unvaccinated, so more cases are expected.
…
There are signs of community spread among those in Central Zone aged 20 to 40 who are unvaccinated and participating in social activities.
There are now 125 known active cases in the province. Four people are in hospital with the disease, but not in ICU. Twenty-four people are considered newly recovered, which means they are no longer contagious and not necessarily that they aren’t sick.
Vaccination
In total, over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 4,988 doses of vaccine were administered — 2,929 second doses and 2,059 first doses. A total of 1,469,063 doses of vaccine have been administered, of which 704,637 were second doses. As of end of day yesterday, 78.7% of the entire population (including young children) have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 72.5% have received two doses.
However, the approximately 8,000 military personnel stationed in Nova Scotia were vaccinated through the military’s vaccination program and are not included in the above percentages; if they are included, then the double-dosed percentage increases to 73.4% of the entire population.
I honestly can’t see how we get to 75% double-dosed by end of day tomorrow. Or even Wednesday. Dr. Strang gives the 8,000 number. The population figure the province uses is 971,395, and when I calculate the percentages independently, they match the province’s percentages.
Do I think it much matters if, say, 74.2% is double-dosed instead of 75.0%? Probably not, in any epidemiological sense. But we’ve been repeatedly told 75% is a hard target, and there won’t be any fudging of percentages. Unless 15,909 people receive their 2nd dose today and tomorrow, there’s a lot of fudging going on.
On the other hand, Premier Tim Houston and Strang have scheduled a COVID briefing for 3pm tomorrow. Unconfirmed rumours are they will announce some sort of change in the Phase 5 reopening planned for Wednesday.
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
Of the 73 latest cases:
• 29 are among people 19 and younger
• 26 are aged 20-39
• 12 are aged 40-59
• 5 is aged 60-79
• 1 is 80 or older
I asked many weeks ago if they could separate 0-11 (unvaccinated) and 12-19 (highly vaccinated), but it appears that isn’t going to happen.
The active cases across the province are distributed as follows:
Central Zone
• 24 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network
• 19 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network
• 9 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network
• 1 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network
• 1 in the West Hants Community Health Network
• 5 not assigned to a Community Health Network
Total: 59
Eastern Zone
• 3 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network
• 0 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network
• 2 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network
Total: 5
Northern Zone
• 30 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network
• 2 in the Pictou Community Health Network
• 20 in the Cumberland Community Health Network
Total: 52
Western Zone
• 8 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network
• 0 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network
• 1 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network
Total: 9
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 2,352 PCR tests yesterday. This does not include the antigen tests administered by the pop-up testing sties, or those conducted at home.
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:
Monday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pmTuesday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm
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 over the weekend.
We’ve collected all the active advisories for potential COVID exposures on bus routes and flights here.
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.
Subscribe to the Halifax Examiner
The Halifax Examiner is an advertising-free, subscriber-supported news site. Your subscription makes this work possible.
We have many other subscription options available, or drop us a donation. Thanks!