Vaccine ramp-up expected

Nova Scotia expects to fasttrack its COVID-19 vaccine rollout by lengthening the time between the first and second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is expected to announce new recommendations Wednesday based on evidence that one dose of these vaccines gives people significantly more protection from COVID-19 than previously thought.

Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, called the development "a game changer" at a news briefing Tuesday in Halifax with Premier Ian Rankin.

Up until now Nova Scotia and most other jurisdictions have reserved second doses for a second shot 21 days later.

“As we anticipate that interval is going to be lengthened substantially, we will move away from that and we’ll be able to focus all our vaccine on first dose into people’s arms,” he said, “which means we can get double the number of people with a given amount of vaccine with the first dose.”

Strang couldn’t say how long the new interval might

be but British Columbia, which broke with national guidance in January, gives the second dose 42 days after the first shot.

The fast-tracked shot system should make up for the delays in production and delivery that have slowed immunization efforts in Nova Scotia and across Canada.

Nova Scotia is still on target to immunize at least 70 per cent of the population by the end of September, which theoretically would provide “herd immunity” against COVID-19.

More than a million doses of Pfizer, Moderna and likely other types of vaccines are expected to be delivered by the end of June.

ONLINE BOOKING PROBLEMS

Strang also addressed problems encountered Monday during the launch of Nova Scotia's online booking system for community vaccine clinics planned for later this month. The booking system for people over 80 was temporarily taken offline because the demand was double what was expected, about 500 requests per minute.

Strang said the system, which was put in place by a private contractor Canimmunize, will be adjusted to reduce the number of people who can access the site at one time. People will be placed in a queue and provided a waiting time.

“If you go online and can't access the site right away, please be patient and stay online, as you will get access soon,” he said. “Repeated log-ins or people who are telephone-booking — redialing the telephone booking — actually ... clog up the system even more.”

Many site users and callers were left even more frustrated Monday when they were told — after finally getting through — that bookings for the immunization clinics were full. At a technical briefing Tuesday, officials with the vaccine rollout expressed regret for the problems and said a new booking system — possibly using people's birthdate or alphabetically by name — is being looked into.

MORE VARIANTS

Nova Scotia had only one new case of COVID-19 on Tuesday but it was reported seven previous cases have been identified as more aggressive variants of the virus.

The new case in the northern health zone is a close contact of a previously reported case.

As for the variants, two more cases of the U.K. strain, formally called B.1.1.7, and five more cases of the South African variant, formally called 501.V2, have been identified by the National Microbiology Lab among Nova Scotia residents.

The two cases with the U.K. variant are in the western zone and central zone and are connected to a previously reported U.K. variant. The people were tested late last month. One case is resolved, while the other infected person is self-isolating.

The five South African variants were identified in the central zone. One is related to travel and the other four are household contacts of the traveller. The case related to travel is now considered resolved while the other four cases remain in self-isolation. This brings the total number of cases of the U.K. variant in Nova Scotia to eight and South African variant to six.

At the briefing, Strang said there doesn't appear to be any community spread related to these variant clusters.

29 ACTIVE CASES

Nova Scotia now has 29 active cases of COVID-19, which is down from 35 as the result of more resolved cases.

Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 5,146 Nova Scotia tests on March 1.

As of March 1, 33,471 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 12,891 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.

Since Oct. 1, Nova Scotia has completed 220,085 tests. There have been 554 positive COVID19 cases and 525 resolved cases. Four people are in hospital, an increase of two compared to yesterday. Of those, two are in intensive care.

Strang said COVID-19 activity over the past several days is lower than he expected, after a disturbing rise in cases in recent weeks. That increase prompted the province to reimpose restrictions on sports and other events, which Strang acknowledged has frustrated people such as parents who want to attend their children's sports activities.

He defended the restrictions, saying Nova Scotia has remained a COVID “safe place” by acting quickly when there are signs of trouble.

"We will adjust our approach when we think it is safe and right now it is looking very good."

POTENTIAL EXPOSURE ADVISORIES

Also Tuesday, Public Health advised of potential exposure to COVID-19 in Dartmouth and Halifax.

Anyone who worked at or visited the following locations on the specified dates and times should immediately visit covidself-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. You can also call 811 if you don't have online access or if you have other symptoms that concern you:

• H&M, Mic Mac Mall (21 Micmac Blvd., Dartmouth) on Feb. 22 between 11 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, March 8.

• RBC Royal Bank (339 Herring Cove Rd., Halifax) on Feb. 23 between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, March 9.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you are required to self-isolate while you wait for your test result. If you do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 you do not need to self-isolate while you wait for your result.

BUSINESSES TAX REBATE PROGRAM

Also at the briefing, Premier Iain Rankin announced a $7-million financial support program for the service industry, which has been slammed by pandemic restrictions. The program will offer property tax rebates for businesses such as restaurants, bars, fitness facilities, hair salons and tattoo parlours.

The Small Business Property Tax Rebate Program provides about 3,300 qualified businesses a one-time rebate of either $1,000 or 50 per cent of the commercial property taxes paid for the final six months of the 2021 year.

“This is cash in the pockets for restaurants and other small businesses in the service sector,” Rankin said. “Yes it is based on property taxes but it's designed to be used by business owners to support any aspect of their business, including hiring staff or paying the bills.”