Nova Scotia Will Make Vaccine Booster Shots Available To All Residents
HALIFAX–Nova Scotia will soon offer vaccine booster doses to all residents.
The Province has accepted new booster recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, says his team will soon unveil a plan for giving booster shots to Nova Scotians who want a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
Initially, that plan will expand eligibility for a booster dose to include people who are 60 and older. From there, the province will work backward in descending age groups, much like previous vaccine rollouts.
Booster doses must be given at least 168 days (about five-and-a-half months) after a person’s primary series of vaccines.
The news comes as the province continues to see some impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic’s “fourth wave.”
With the holidays approaching, the province has capped indoor gatherings (like house parties) at 25 people.
December 7, Nova Scotia reported 22 new Covid-19 cases and 27 recoveries.
There are 18 cases in the Halifax region and four cases in Northern Zone. There is a cluster of cases in a localized community in the Northern Zone. There is also evidence of limited community spread in Halifax and parts of northern Nova Scotia.
Four schools in the province also have possible Covid-19 exposures.
As schools deal with exposures, Premier Tim Houston announced today that students in public schools will get an extended break over the holidays.
He says students will now return to class on January 6.
The original date was January 4 but the extra two days are being added to give young people more of an opportunity to get vaccinated and as a precaution, with new exposures being reported in schools.
Nova Scotia has 147 active cases of Covid-19. Of those, 11 people are in hospital, including four in ICU.
Steve MacArthur is the news director with CKHZ 103.5 in Halifax, a Huddle content partner.