Dr. Robert Strang speaks at COVID briefing February 23, 2022. Photo Communications Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has announced the availability of new COVID-19 and influenza vaccines.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang provided details about the rollout at a press conference Tuesday.

Nova Scotians aged 65 and older can get the high-dose influenza vaccine now. All Nova Scotians will have access to Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccine during the week of October 16. The standard-dose influenza vaccine is arriving in the province the week of October 23 and Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 vaccine will be available sometime in late October or early November.

The high-dose flu vaccine will be available at local pharmacies and medical clinics across the province starting this week.

Strang emphasized the importance of vaccination, stating, “This fall, we encourage everyone to roll up their sleeves and get both recommended vaccines to protect their health. It’s the best way to limit the spread of both influenza and COVID-19.”

The province is advising Nova Scotians that they can receive both flu and COVID vaccines at the same time. Anyone wishing to receive a vaccine can do so at a nearby pharmacy or outreach clinic by signing up online at Nova Scotia Immunization. Alternatively, people can book their shots through their family doctors or nurse practitioners.

Nova Scotia Health is reminding people that vaccines do not cause influenza or COVID-19 and that symptoms for both illnesses can overlap, including fever, headache, and fatigue.

Anyone who has already received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines are eligible for an updated dose if six months have passed since their last vaccination or known COVID-19 infection. And officials are recommending children aged six months to nine years should receive two doses of the influenza vaccine four weeks apart this fall if they have never been vaccinated before.

Health authorities are urging all Nova Scotians to prioritize their health by getting vaccinated against both influenza and COVID-19 to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

The Government of Nova Scotia announced several initiatives to reduce wait times and improve emergency care at hospitals across the province.

At a press conference Monday, Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson said the initiative focuses on two areas: improving emergency room care and safety and moving lower acuity patients away from the emergency room to appropriate health providers.

Several actions announced to get patients in most urgent need faster care include:
— having teams led by doctors focus on getting patients out of ambulances and into the emergency department faster
— assigning physician assistants and nurse practitioners to provide care in emergency departments
— adding care providers and patient advocates to support patients in waiting rooms
— making virtual care available to more patients with less urgent needs
— providing healthcare teams with real-time data on where beds are available across the system and what tests or other actions are needed to get patients well and home more quickly; this will free up beds for others.

Health officials are aiming to redirect patients with less severe or immediate health concerns away from emergency departments.

The actions being taken to give people more places to receive care, reducing pressure on emergency care, include:
–support for new and existing collaborative family medicine practices so they can see more patients
— expanding services in more pharmacies
— adding hours for virtual care appointments and enabling out-of-province doctors who are licensed here to offer virtual care
— providing more mobile primary care, mobile respiratory care clinics and urgent treatment centres
— making available a new phone app, known as a digital front door, that will help people find the right services for their needs and where they’re offered.

Some of those actions such as adding care providers and patient advocates to patient waiting rooms will be implemented almost immediately while others will be phased in as resources and capacity become available.

While the new actions include many new supports for patients and caregivers there was little talk about how to keep healthcare workers from leaving those jobs.

Minister Thompson says the newly announced initiatives will make for a better work environment and her department is still listening to front-line workers.

“Nova Scotia Health has also started stay interviews about what are the things that support people in staying and we do hear suggestions directly from frontline workers about different initiatives that would help them stay,” said Thompson. “So those are the things that are undertaken, again, we know there’s more to do and we are committed to working with health care providers to support their environment.”

The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) represents many of the people working in healthcare in the province.

In a statement issued after the announcement the union’ 1^st Vice President Hugh Gillis says one of the key issues members have outlined is the inability to retain skilled, experienced nursing staff in the ED.

“Today’s announcement does not address that concern,” said Gillis, “The employer must provide incentives that will allow them to effectively keep experienced health care professionals in areas of high turnover and specialized need, such as the emergency department.”

Gillis says his members are glad to see some of the 59 suggestions they provided to government were included in the announcement but there is still more to do.

Government officials say they are open to any good ideas that will improve healthcare for Nova Scotians and will continue to listen.

Despite the struggles facing emergency departments across the province, Minister Thompson says if people are in immediate need of medical attention they should go and get the treatment they need.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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