ANTIGONISH: As more local schools and businesses are listed as potential exposure sites, StFX University is reporting that 160 students have tested positive for COVID-19.
In a Facebook post made yesterday, StFX President Andy Hakin said the students have notified: isolate@stfx.ca, 30 are isolating in residence, and they continue to experience “mild symptoms” with no hospitalizations.
In addition to those already listed, SAERC in Port Hawkesbury and Antigonish Education Centre were added to the school exposure advisory list today by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
The NSCC Strait Area Campus is one school site, along with École acadienne de Pomquet, Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy, Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional High School in Antigonish, Saint Andrew Junior School in Antigonish, Tamarac Education Centre in Port Hawkesbury, and St. Andrews Consolidated School, St. Andrews.
StFX said it has been meeting regularly with the town and county of Antigonish to identify impacts from the outbreak, and the university is meeting today with Nova Scotia Public Health officials, and Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang about the winter academic term at StFX.
“I believe this will be the beginning of many conversations in the weeks ahead as public health determines what health and safety protocols will be required to be in place in the new year,” the post reads. “Our academic leadership team continues to work through what the beginning of the winter academic term is going to look like as we incorporate an exam period into the term. The resulting plan will be taken before Senate for review and approval. We will have the plan out to the community early next week.”
As of today, there are 201 active cases in the Antigonish Guysborough Community Health Board, and four in the Inverness Victoria Richmond Community Health Board.
Last night, public health issued a close contact exposure advisory for the Moonlight Restaurant (210 Main Street, Antigonish) on Dec. 8 between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.They anticipate that anyone exposed to the virus at that date may develop symptoms up to, and including, Dec. 22.
There was a potential exposure of minimal risk at the Angus L. Macdonald Library on the StFX campus on Dec. 4 between 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., public health said, noting that anyone exposed to the virus can develop symptoms up to Dec. 18.
Minimal exposure notifications from public health also included the Antigonish Highland Dance Christmas Concert at the St. Andrew Junior School Gymnasium (2 Appleseed Drive, Antigonish) on Dec. 5 between 5 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.They said symptoms can arise by Dec. 19.
The final public health minimal exposure advisory involves the Maritime Bus route from the Halifax Airport to Antigonish on Dec. 6 between 3:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.Dec. 20 is the date by which symptoms can appear, they noted.
Public health said the significant surge in COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia has resulted in a backlog in contacting positive cases and close contacts.
Public health said it started contacting positive COVID-19 cases by text message when that is an option, and for those who do not have text, they will follow up by phone.
Public health will still contact positive COVID-19 cases by phone within a few days of the text notification to collect and provide further information.
As COVID-19 cases go up, the opposition Liberals claim the province “continues to move at a snail’s pace in its booster shot roll-out.”
In a press release issued today, the Liberal said leading epidemiologists, including the National Advisory Council on Immunization, advised that a booster dose is crucial against the highly transmissible Omicron variant. They said most provinces and territories – Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, PEI, Newfoundland, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon – have made third doses available to adults over 18 years of age.
The Liberals stated that Nova Scotia is falling “way behind” by offering shots only to those 60 and over, health care workers, and the immunocompromised.
“Booster shots are the best chance at reducing transmissibility with the Omicron variant,” said Health and Wellness Critic Zach Churchill. “The Houston government not expanding their availability in Nova Scotia is a glaring anomaly in this country.
“We have outbreaks, community spread and transmission among young people, all before the holidays when families and friends will get together. At the very least, the Houston government needs to expedite the delivery of booster shots to everyone 18 and over.”