HALIFAX: The province’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout is on track, as it expands to include initial pharmacy clinics and community health-care providers.
“In a few short months we have set up clinics for health-care workers, in long-term care, in the community and soon, vaccines will be available in pharmacies,” said Premier Iain Rankin. “We are taking a measured and steady approach to getting vaccines into the arms of Nova Scotians as quickly as possible.”
Four pharmacy prototype clinics will launch in the following communities this month:
— March 9: Halifax Regional Municipality and Shelburne
— March 16: Port Hawkesbury
— March 23: Springhill
These prototypes will help inform any changes in how vaccine is delivered through pharmacies before expanding to other locations in April. Those eligible to receive the vaccine through one of these initial clinics will receive an invitation to participate from their pharmacy.
Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 immunization plan is also expanding to include anyone who works in a hospital and may come into contact with patients and community health-care providers who provide direct patient care. This includes:
— doctors, nurses and continuing care assistants who work in community practice or provide care in the home
— dentists, dental assistants and dental hygienists
— pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and pharmacy technicians
“In keeping with our age-based approach to vaccine rollout, health-care workers in the next group will receive their vaccine based on their age,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health. “We will begin with those who are age 60 and older and then work back in five-year age groups until these health-care workers have been immunized.”
Health-care workers in the next group will receive an invitation to schedule their appointment.
Four of the 10 community-based vaccination clinics opened for booking in Halifax, Sydney, Truro and New Minas on March 1. These clinics will start immunizing on March 8. Three more community COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Antigonish, Halifax and Yarmouth will also start booking on March 8 for clinics running March 15.
Quick Facts:
— one of the 13 First Nation communities have received and administered their first doses, with five more starting clinics this week
— thirty licensed long-term care homes have administered at least one dose, with second dose clinics being scheduled
— work is underway to open a clinic in an African Nova Scotian community for the end of March
— to date, we have received 61,980 doses of COVID-19 vaccine
— as of March 1, Nova Scotia has administered 33,471 doses of COVID-19 vaccine; 20,580 first doses and 12,891 second doses
Additional Resources:
COVID-19 vaccine website: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/vaccine/
