At-home learning to start Monday in Nova Scotia, booster clinics rolling out

A school classroom is seen in this file photo. (CTV)

Amid a surge of COVID-19 cases, public school students in Nova Scotia will begin at-home learning Monday, Jan. 10 for one week. Schools will remain open for students who use learning centres.

Schools are scheduled to reopen to in-person learning on Monday, Jan. 17.

The province says schools will follow public health guidance regarding testing, isolation and case management and more information on enhanced public health measures in schools, including reporting of student and staff illness, will be shared with families.

During at-home learning, students who are in emergency need of food can call 211 for assistance from Feed Nova Scotia.

NO DATA ON HOSPITALIZATONS, RECOVERIES RELEASED

The province did not release information on the number of recoveries or hospitalizations on Sunday. However, public health officials did report 837 new cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia.

Of the new cases, 541 are in the Central Zone, 133 are in the Eastern Zone, 90 are in the Northern Zone and 73 are in the Western Zone.

On January 8, the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 4,144 tests.

Because of a spike in testing and positive cases, public health is experiencing delays in follow-up. All people who test positive should contact their close contacts.

Public health is prioritizing contact tracing in long-term care, healthcare facilities, correctional facilities, shelters and other group settings.

BOOSTER CLINICS ROLLING OUT

Additional booster clinics will soon start rolling out across Nova Scotia.

New community clinics will offer vaccine by appointment starting:

• Monday, Jan. 10, at the Acadia Festival Theatre in Wolfville
• Monday, Jan. 17, at Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth
• Monday, Jan. 24, at the Nova Scotia Community College campus in Truro.

The province says some existing COVID-19 testing centres will also offer vaccine by appointment. The following centres will start vaccinations on Monday, Jan. 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, Jan. 24.

People who are 30 or older can book a booster dose at least 168 days after they received the second dose of their primary series. For African Nova Scotians and people in First Nations communities, the age for boosters is 18 and older.

PAID SICK LEAVE PROGRAM OPENS MONDAY

Applications for Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Program open Monday, Jan. 10, at 1 p.m. for people who cannot work remotely and must stay home due to COVID-19.

“We know people want to do the right thing by staying home if they’re sick,” said Premier Tim Houston in a news release last week. “And we also know many workers face financial barriers that stand in the way of that decision. The paid sick leave program will help to remove those barriers. Workers should not have to lose pay for making a responsible decision that protects their co-workers and others.”

The program is open to employers and self-employed workers. It is consistent with the previous Nova Scotia COVID-19 Sick Leave Program and covers up to four sick leave days for employees, including self-employed workers, up to a maximum of $20 per hour or $160 per day. The maximum payment over the 15-week period is $640 per worker.

Eligible businesses that continue to pay their employees during their leave, and self-employed workers who miss time, may be reimbursed as quickly as five business days from their application.

The program covers workers who miss less than 50 per cent of their scheduled work time in a one-week period (for example, 15 hours or less in a scheduled 32-hour work week) who need to self-isolate due to exposure, close contact, or because they are experiencing symptoms or getting tested. They may also qualify if employees are going to a vaccine or booster appointment.

The program will be retroactive to include sick days starting Dec. 20, 2021, and will continue until Mar. 31, 2022.

The program complements the federal Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, which is available to employees and self-employed workers who have missed 50 per cent or more of their scheduled work week as a result of COVID-19. The federal program runs until May 2022.

STATE OF EMERGENCY RENEWED

Nova Scotia is once again renewing the state of emergency.

The order will take effect at noon on Sunday, Jan. 9 and extend to Sunday, Jan. 23 unless the government decides to terminate or extend it.

Nova Scotia first declared a state of emergency on March 22, 2020.