N.S reports two new cases of COVID-19; warns of vaccine side effect
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, as it touts its vaccination efforts in the province where almost 56 per cent of people are fully vaccinated.
Public health is also reporting one new recovery bringing the active number of cases to 12.
Both cases are in Central zone where one is related to a close contact of a previously reported case. The other is related to travel and is connected to the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Halifax.
VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS
The province is advising Nova Scotians about an uncommon reaction to an mRNA vaccine called myocarditis and pericarditis, which has been reported in Canada, including in Nova Scotia.
Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis is inflammation of the outer lining of the heart.
Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, or feelings of a rapid or abnormal heart rhythm.
There have been 22 reported cases in Nova Scotia. Although most cases required hospitalization, they were relatively mild, and the individuals tended to recover quickly with conservative treatment and rest.
“It is important for Nova Scotians to understand both the benefits and potential risks associated with any vaccine in order to make an informed decision about vaccination,” Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, said in a release.
“When it comes to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the benefits of getting vaccinated far outweigh the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis.”
These reactions are mostly experienced in people under 30 years of age within a week of receiving the vaccine. It also appears to be more common in males after the second dose.
Public health is urging everyone who is eligible for their second dose to move up their appointment so the province can reach its minimum target of 75 per cent of the population fully vaccinated, and move to the next phase of reopening by the end of August.
“Our collective efforts throughout the pandemic to follow restrictions and get tested have helped to limit COVID-19 activity in the province, but we can’t stop here,” said Strang.
“We now need everyone who can to get two doses of vaccine as soon as possible to add another and stronger layer of protection against the virus and its variants.”
BREAKTHROUGH DATA
There have been 4,195 cases of COVID-19 from March 15 to July 21, 2021. Of those:
27 (0.6 per cent) were fully vaccinated
233 (5.6 per cent) were partially vaccinated
3,935 (93.8 per cent) were unvaccinated
There were 254 people hospitalized. Of those:
2 (0.8 per cent) were fully vaccinated
28 (11 per cent) were partially vaccinated
224 (88.2 per cent) were unvaccinated
Twenty-six people died. Of those:
1 (3.8 per cent) was fully vaccinated
3 (11.5 per cent) were partially vaccinated
22 (84.6 per cent) were unvaccinated
There were 3,517 tests administered between July 16 and 22 at the rapid-testing pop-up sites in Halifax, Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, Bedford and Sydney.
On July 22, Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 2,821 tests.
As of July 22, 1,271,948 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 541,389 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.
COVID-19: Top doctor in N.S. imploring people to move up second vaccine appointments - Halifax
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Nova Scotia announced Friday that almost 56 per cent of people in the province are now fully vaccinated.
Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, told reporters Friday if everyone who is eligible for their second dose moves up their appointment, the province can reach its minimum target of 75 per cent of the population being fully vaccinated earlier, and move to the next phase of reopening by the end of August.
Strang said there are about 69,000 people who had their first dose, but haven’t moved up appointments for second doses.
“We need those people to get vaccinated as soon as they are able,” Strang said at a virtual media availability on Friday.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia reports 1 death, no new cases of COVID-19
As the number of people who need vaccination declines, Strang said the province will start to close community clinics.
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According to the province, the last day Nova Scotians can receive a COVID-19 vaccine at a community clinic is Aug. 15. After that, COVID-19 vaccines will only be available in participating pharmacy and primary care clinics.
Anyone who currently has a second dose appointment scheduled at a community clinic after Aug. 15 must reschedule their appointment or it will be cancelled.
Possible mRNA vaccine side effect
In a release, the province said an “uncommon event following immunization with mRNA vaccine called myocarditis and pericarditis” has been reported in Canada, including in Nova Scotia.
Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is the inflammation of the lining around the heart.
There have been 22 reported cases in Nova Scotia.
“Although most cases required hospitalization, they were relatively mild, and the individuals tended to recover quickly with conservative treatment and rest,” the province said.
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Strang said when it comes to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the benefits of getting vaccinated far outweigh the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis.
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These reactions are primarily experienced in people under 30 years of age within a week of receiving the vaccine. It also appears to be more common in males after the second dose.
Anyone who experiences shortness of breath, chest pain or feelings of a rapid or abnormal heart rhythm after mRNA vaccination is being asked to seek medical attention.
Dr. Robert Strang is holding a media briefing over Zoom for reporters right now. Nova Scotia’s top doctor says he won’t be holding weekly COVID-19 briefings anymore…unless there’s something necessary to update. — Jesse Thomas (@jessethomasHFX) July 23, 2021
Two new cases
Nova Scotia reported two new cases of COVID-19 and one recovery on Friday.
The cases are in Central Zone. One is related to a close contact of a previously reported case, which Strang said is related to a family cluster.
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The other is related to travel and is connected to the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Halifax.
“We’re seeing no community spread in the province during this time,” said Strang.
So far, Nova Scotia has 12 active cases of COVID-19. There are currently no hospitalizations.
There were 3,517 tests administered between July 16 and 22 at the rapid-testing pop-up sites in Halifax, Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, Bedford and Sydney.
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Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 2,821 tests the day before.
As of Thursday, 1,271,948 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 541,389 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.
Since April 1, there have been 4,140 positive COVID-19 cases and 27 deaths. There are 4,101 resolved cases.
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The province also announced that it is renewing the state of emergency and will take effect at noon, Sunday, July 25, and extend to noon, Sunday, Aug. 8, unless government terminates or extends it.
Nova Scotia reports 22 cases of heart inflammation following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines
Nova Scotia’s top public health doctor says there have been 22 cases of heart inflammation reported in the province after immunization with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
The cases of myocarditis and pericarditis – or swelling of the heart muscle and lining – have mostly arisen in males between 20 and 30 years old who recently received their second doses of vaccine, Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, told reporters on Friday.
It’s not clear what causes these conditions or if they are directly related to the vaccines, he said, adding that the events are rare and have been recorded across the globe.
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“While the symptoms can be scary, people respond relatively quickly to conservative treatment and rest,” Strang said. “But the risk of remaining unimmunized far, far outweighs the risk from this uncommon and time-limited adverse effect.”
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Everyone in Nova Scotia aged 12 and over should get a COVID-19 vaccine, he said.
Meanwhile, the province reported two new cases of COVID-19 Friday, for a total of 12 active reported cases. One of those infections involved a crew member of the HMCS Halifax, a Royal Canadian Navy frigate that docked in the province’s capital Monday after returning from a six-month deployment on the Mediterranean Sea. Strang said there are three cases confirmed among the ship’s crew.
As of Friday, 75 per cent of all people in Nova Scotia had received at least one dose of vaccine and 56 per cent had received two doses, according to online government data.
On Thursday, health officials reported that a woman in her 50s in the central zone died from COVID-19, marking the province’s 93rd death linked to the novel coronavirus. Strang said Friday the woman was not immunized.
The province’s mass vaccination clinics will begin to wind down Aug. 15, but pharmacies will continue to administer shots throughout the summer and into the fall, Strang said. The Health Department, he added, is working with pharmacies to ensure there is plenty of access to vaccines once the clinics close.
Strang acknowledged that vaccination rates are lowest among younger people, but said that was expected and rates are still higher for younger age groups in Nova Scotia than they are among youth in other parts of the country. He said he didn’t think that closing mass vaccination clinics would deter younger people from getting a shot.
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“And we are getting 1,000 or more people a day for first doses, most of whom are in those younger age groups,” he said. “So we will get there, it’s going to take a little bit more time.”
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