Nova Scotia said it’s lifting or altering restrictions currently in place for Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) due to low COVID-19 cases. The premier also announced that Nova Scotians will now be able to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June.
In a Thursday cabinet meeting, Premier Iain Rankin said everyone in the province could be able to receive their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June.
He also said province could abandon its plan to reserve all second doses of the vaccine, which has been a key part of the provincial vaccine roll-out plan to date.
“Logic would follow that we wouldn’t have to hold back the second dose,” he said, adding that the province’s chief medical officer, Dr. Robert Strang, is still waiting on official advice to make the call.
The prediction to have all first doses administered before July comes as federal authorities have advised that intervals between the first and second shot needed for full immunization, can be extended.
Prior to this week, health authorities recommended that the second dose of both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines must be administered within 21 days of the first dose.
“While studies have not yet collected four months of data on vaccine effectiveness after the first dose, the first two months of real world effectiveness are showing sustained high levels of protection,” says the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).
NACI recommends that “in the context of limited COVID-19 vaccine supply, jurisdictions should maximize the number of individuals benefiting from the first dose of vaccine by extending the interval for the second dose of vaccine to four months.”
“Extending the dose interval to four months allows NACI to create opportunities for protection of the entire adult population within a short timeframe. This will not only achieve protection of the adult population, but will also contribute to health equity,” the agency said in an advisory.
With the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Nova Scotia’s roll-out can move along faster, according to Minister of Health Zach Churchill.
“We worked very quickly with Doctors Nova Scotia and Pharmacy Association,” he said in a cabinet meeting Thursday.
The groups have identified close to 26 sites to distribute the AstraZeneca vaccine on a voluntary basis to individuals aged 50 – 64. The province expects to being administering the vaccine on March 15.
Some uncertainty still surrounds the AstraZeneca vaccine, because it is 62 per cent effective against COVID-19, compared to Moderna and Pfizer vaccines which are both more than 90 per cent effective.
In addition, the vaccine is recommended to people between the ages of 18 and 64, as studies done did not include populations older than 65.
“That’s why we are making this a voluntary vaccination,” said Churchill.
“Folks that want to get this vaccine understanding that there is a lower efficacy rate — still a very good one by vaccination standards — this option will be available to them.”
“I do believe we’re on-track to achieve herd immunity here in Nova Scotia, even sooner than our initial timeline.”
Having the AstraZeneca doses available to those who want them will help the province achieve that goal of having everyone vaccinated before the end of September.
Churchill said in the cabinet meeting that more details on the roll-out of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be provided on Friday.
COVID-19 restrictions lifted for HRM
The province also announced that many restrictions that came into effect on Feb. 27, such as restaurant hours, sport competitions, culture performances and non-essential travel, will end Friday at 8 a.m.
“Last week we were worried about increased case numbers in Halifax but what we are seeing this week warrants lifting some restrictions early,” said Premier Iain Rankin in a press release.
The province said the following activities will be allowed:
- Travel in and out of HRM and surrounding municipalities
- Participants and officials in performing arts and sports (recreational, amateur and professional) can gather in groups of up to 60 people without social distancing for rehearsals, performances, practices and regular competitive schedule
- Spectators at performing arts and sports will be allowed as long as the host facilities have a gathering plan
- The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will reopen public school gyms for after-school use on March 6
- Restaurants and bars will return to previous dine-in service requirements, with service stopped by 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m.
- Weddings and funeral in a faith facility or funeral homes can have 150 people outdoors or 50 per cent of capacity to a maximum of 100 indoors. Receptions and visitations continue to be not permitted in HRM and surrounding municipalities
“Unchanged is the requirement for residents of long-term care facilities to only have visits from their two designated caregivers and can only leave the facility for medical appointments or for a drive with a designated caregiver,” the province stated.
This restriction remains in effect until March 27 in HRM and surrounding municipalities.
Affected by the restrictions were the suburban and urban areas of Halifax, including Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville, Cole Harbour, Eastern Passage, Middle Porters Lake, Fall River, Enfield, Lantz, Hammonds Plains, Herring Cove, the Prestons, Lake Echo, Timberlea, Tantallon, Mount Uniacke and St. Margarets Bay.
Three new COVID-19 cases reported
The province reported three new cases of the coronavirus Thursday. The new cases are in Central Zone. Two are close contacts of previously reported cases and the other case is under investigation.
As of Thursday, Nova Scotia has 29 active cases of COVID-19
Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 6,551 Nova Scotia tests on March 3.
As of March 3, 37,590 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 14,219 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.
Since Oct. 1, Nova Scotia said it has completed 233,511 tests. There have been 560 positive COVID-19 cases and no deaths. Five people are currently in hospital. Of those, two are in ICU. Cases range in age from under 10 to over 70. There are 531 resolved cases. Cumulative cases may change as data is updated in Panorama.