N.S. reports 842 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, moves to at-home learning

HALIFAX -

Nova Scotia reported 842 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the estimated active number of COVID-19 infections in the province to 6,645. 

There are 498 new cases in the Central Zone, 141 in the Eastern Zone, 121 in the Western Zone, and 82 new cases in the Northern Zone.

During a COVID-19 update Wednesday afternoon, Premier Tim Houston said 45 people are in hospital with the virus; eight of those individuals are in intensive care.

He said the average length of stay in hospital because of COVID-19 is 5.4 days, and the current age range of people in hospital with the virus is 26-98 years old.  The premier said 69 per cent of those hospitalized are vaccinated to some degree.

VACCINE UPDATE

The province says, as of Tuesday, 1,815,283 doses of the vaccine have been administered.

Of those, 795,461 individuals have received their second dose, and 155,144 eligible residents have received a third dose.

Only 10 per cent of Nova Scotians are unvaccinated.

LONG-TERM CARE, HOSPITAL OUTBREAKS

The province’s health authority has announced a new COVID-19 outbreak at Camp Hill Veterans Memorial at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

Fewer than five patients have tested positive and all patients at the facility are being closely monitored.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority is also reporting additional COVID-19 cases related to the outbreaks at the Northside General Hospital, a ward at New Waterford Consolidated Hospital and a ward at the Victoria General site at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

Public health says less than five patients at each facility have tested positive and that all patients are being closely monitored.

There are also ongoing outbreaks at the Halifax Infirmary, Dartmouth General Hospital, Victoria General site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre, St. Martha's Regional Hospital in Antigonish, New Waterford Consolidated Hospital and Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

The province says fewer than 12 patients at each facility have tested positive.

Public health is reporting two new outbreaks in long-term care facilities as well. Health officials are working with the facilities to prevent further spread of the virus. 

The outbreaks are as follows:

• One staff member and seven residents at the New Vision Special Care Home in the Annapolis Valley; and
• One staff members and four residents at Waterford Heights in New Waterford.

There are also three new cases at Melville Gardens in Halifax. The province says a total of two residents and six staff members at the facility have tested positive.

MOVE TO AT-HOME LEARNING

During Wednesday’s COVID-19 update, the province also announced that public schools will move to at-home learning beginning Monday, Jan. 10.

Schools, however, will stay open for students who use learning centres and will reopen to in-person learning on Monday, Jan. 17.

"We have heard concerns from families and staff about a return to in-person learning," said N.S. Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Becky Druhan. "By moving to at-home learning for one week, we can take the steps necessary to build confidence by purchasing HEPA filtration systems for schools and classrooms with passive ventilation systems, and by ensuring a good supply of three-ply masks for all children and staff, including medical masks for staff. Our goal is to provide more comfort and confidence to staff and students as we continue to live with COVID."

The Nova Scotia Teachers Union says it supports Wednesday’s announcement by the province to delay the return of in-person learning by one week.

The N.S.T.U. says it looks forward to continue working with the province as it takes steps to provide additional layers of protections in classrooms over the next 10 days.

“Today’s announcement is welcomed by teachers and specialists whose main priority is always the safety and wellbeing of students and their families,” says N.S.T.U. President Paul Wozney. “We understand the challenging decisions public officials are currently being asked to make and recognize the various perspectives they need to balance. That said, over the next week we will closely monitor the situation to ensure the proper policies are implemented and equipment is delivered to protect our vulnerable populations learning and working inside schools.”

The province says regional centres for education and the Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial will provide more information to families soon.

The premier said schools will follow public health guidance regarding testing, isolation and case management.

PUBLIC HEALTH RESTRICTIONS EXTENDED

On Wednesday, the province’s chief medical officer of health announced Nova Scotia's COVID-19 restrictions will be extended until the end of January.

"The Omicron variant has been rapidly making people sick across the province and continues to spread quickly," said Dr. Robert Strang. "Extending the restrictions will help stop the spread. We are learning more about Omicron every day and we are tweaking self-isolation requirements to better reflect the current disease."

Dr. Strang said restrictions that took effect Dec. 22 will now continue until Jan. 31.

No new restrictions have been added.

SELF-ISOLATION REQUIREMENT CHANGES

The province announced the latest evidence shows that a person with Omicron is most infectious in the couple of days before and after symptoms develop, and that the virus transmits quickly between cases.

In response to that evidence, changes to self-isolation requirements will take effect for most Nova Scotians on Friday, Jan. 7 at 6 a.m.

Dr. Strang says the changes do not apply to people who work in a high-risk healthcare setting, such as hospitals, home care and long-term care facilities. Whether they test positive or are a close contact, they must notify their employer and follow their occupational health guidance, not the self-isolation requirements below.

NEW SELF-ISOLATION REQUIREMENTS FOR POSITVE CASES

The new requirements are determined by a person's age, household situation and vaccination status:

Fully vaccinated person or a child 11 years old or younger:

• Must isolate for a minimum of seven days following the onset of symptoms or a positive test if asymptomatic; and
• Can leave isolation after day seven if there are no symptoms or symptoms are improving and there has been no fever for at least 24 hours.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated person or a person who is immunocompromised:

• Must isolate for a minimum of 10 days; and
• Can leave isolation after day 10 if they no longer have symptoms or symptoms are improving and there has been no fever for at least 24 hours.

Isolation requirements apply regardless of the type of test taken (rapid test or lab-based PCR test).

CHANGES TO ISOLATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CLOSE CONTACTS

If a fully vaccinated person or child who is 11 or younger is identified as a close contact of a positive case:

• They should get tested 72 hours after exposure and watch for symptoms;
• If they take a PCR test, no further testing is needed unless they develop symptoms; and
• If they take a rapid test, they should do a second rapid test 48 hours after the first.

Until they get their first negative test result, they should:

• Stay at home except to go to school, work or child care;
• Work from home as much as possible;
• Practice physical distancing when at work or school, including while eating or drinking;
• Wear a properly fitted, three-layer mask; and
• Only do essential activities such as getting groceries or prescriptions if there is nobody else who can do it for them.

For all others, including immunocompromised people who haven't had a booster:

• They must immediately isolate for seven days;
• They can leave isolation after two negative rapid tests done on days six and eight or after one negative PCR test done on days six or seven; and
• If symptoms develop, they must remain isolated and get tested.

Isolating in Household:

If someone with COVID-19 can isolate completely separately from the rest of their household, then other members of the household follow the direction for close contacts. However, if the person cannot isolate completely separately, then other members of the household must isolate along with them for the duration of their isolation, regardless of their vaccination status, and should be tested on days three or four and again on the last day of isolation. They can leave isolation if the last test is negative.

LONG-TERM CARE VISITOR CHANGES

Dr. Strang said public health is also recommending long-term care facilities close to most visitors for two weeks.

The Nova Scotia Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care is strongly recommending that long-term care facilities close to visitors effective Friday at 6 a.m.

Two designated caregivers per resident should still be allowed to visit so they can provide physical and mental support.

The department will reassess the situation on Jan. 17.

PROVINCE TO LAUNCH SICK LEAVE PROGRAM

The government will support Nova Scotians who need to miss work because of COVID-19, whether to get a vaccine or COVID-19 test, or isolate while waiting for a test or test results.

The Nova Scotia Paid Sick Leave Program will launch Monday, Jan. 10, and is retroactive to Dec. 20, 2021.

BOOSTER CLINICS TO ROLL OUT ACROSS PROVINCE

Booster clinics are set to roll out across Nova Scotia this month.

The province says new community clinics will offer vaccine by appointment starting:

• Thursday, Jan. 6, at the Halifax Forum;
• Monday, Jan. 10, at the Acadia Festival Theatre in Wolfville;
• Monday, Jan. 17, at Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth; and
• Monday, Jan. 24, at the Nova Scotia Community College campus in Truro.

Officials say 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; and
• Mariners Centre, Yarmouth.

The province says 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.

More than 90,000 booster appointments opened up for Nova Scotians 30 and older on Monday. Becca Babcock waited more than two hours to book a shot for her and her husband.

"Fortunately, you can book additional people, presumably, in your household or your family or your immediate group so we were able to book him in right after me so we didn't both have to sit in the queue forever,” said Babcock. “It was a while of just letting that timer count down as we waited for our turn to come up in the tab but it wasn't too painful."

While many appointments at current vaccination locations have already been booked, the province says Nova Scotians who still need to book one are encouraged to be patient and check back as appointments are being added often, including at the new community clinics.

To date, the Nova Scotia Health Authority has about 2,350 applications from people offering to help at vaccination clinics. About 850 are potential immunizers and about 1,500 may be able to serve in non-clinical roles.