N.S. Public Health still seeing about 1,000 people daily for first dose of vaccine
The push continues to get Nova Scotians vaccinated, with many people still coming in for their first shot.
"In the last couple of weeks, we're back to, on weekdays anyway, averaging around 1,000 people a day coming forward to start their vaccine series," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health.
Health officials in Nova Scotia want to have 75 per cent of the province's entire population fully vaccinated. As of Wednesday, at least 73.8 per cent of Nova Scotians are double-dosed.
"That 73.8 (per cent) is people that we know for sure and are in our system," said Strang.
"We've got around another one per cent of the military, or 1.2 percent, and then we have probably about another one per cent of people that were immunized outside of Nova Scotia in another province or the U.S. that they're working to get them entered in."
Chris Parsons, the provincial co-ordinator for the Nova Scotia Health Coalition, said the province needs to address real barriers that are preventing people from getting vaccinated.
"Sometimes that's an information barrier, but sometimes that's things like making sure people have paid time off if they suffer from side effects of the vaccine. Maybe that's making sure we're bringing vaccine to people in places where they're congregating," said Parsons. "Right now, simply asking people to do it clearly is not working."
According to Dr. Simon Sherry, there are a number of reasons why people might hesitate or refuse a vaccine.
One reason is disinformation.
"Some people are going down the wrong rabbit hole on the internet and coming up with false or misleading information," he said.
While there are legitimate barriers, like people who have needle phobia, Sherry said there are also some conspiratorial thinkers when it comes to vaccine hesitation.
"They have some sort of idea that Bill Gates is very powerful and he's going to control them through this vaccine but the story unfolds that they have special knowledge and now they have power because they're not going to let Bill Gates control them," said Sherry. "The narrative for the conspiratorial thinker is often that they've overcome this really powerful person and they themselves have become powerful and special, part of a chosen few who know the truth about vaccines as opposed to all these silly scientists."
While the province works to get more shots into arms, Nova Scotia's top doctor said health officials are finalizing plans for booster shots for some people who had mixed doses of vaccine and those with specific medical conditions.
"We're working with both our physician and pharmacy colleagues around identifying specifically those conditions, the medications that go along with those conditions and how people that meet that criteria can start to come forward to get immunized," said Strang.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.