HALIFAX: There are now even more places in the Strait area to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination.
Last week, the provincial government announced that Nova Scotians ages 63 and 64 will be the first group eligible to access the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine starting March 20.
The province said the vaccine will be available at 25 locations across the province on a first come, first served basis, including Freeman’s Pharmacy in Inverness and the Mediplex: Medical Complex and Clinics in Antigonish.
“We asked the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia (PANS) and Doctors Nova Scotia to identify locations that could support the delivery of vaccine on a short notice and that provided geographic disbursement in the province,” provincial spokesperson Marla MacInnis told The Reporter.
The province noted that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is given on a two-dose schedule, but the public is asked to not call clinic locations to book an appointment, but instead make them online at: https://www.novascotia.ca/vaccination or by calling toll-free 1-833-797-7772.
Recently updated guidelines from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has extended the second dose interval of COVID-19 vaccines to 16 weeks, the province said, noting this means more Nova Scotians will receive a first dose of vaccine sooner.
“Booking for these clinics will be through our central online portal,” MacInnis said. “This is the same process as community clinics. Appointments will open for booking on March 16 with the first clinic expected to start vaccinating on March 20.”
As the supply of AstraZeneca increases, the province said it will continue to offer this vaccine to Nova Scotians who are between the ages of 50 to 64, starting with those who are oldest and working backward by age.
“Only those who are age 63/64 years are eligible to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at this time,” MacInnis explained. “We anticipate receiving more AstraZeneca vaccine over the next couple of months.”
The province said it has partnered with PANS and Doctors NS to help deliver 13,000 doses of the vaccine before April 2.
“I’m pleased government called upon doctors to support the vaccine rollout,” said Dr. Robyn MacQuarrie, president of Doctors Nova Scotia. “It’s been a long year, and the best way to get through this and protect Nova Scotians from COVID-19 is to get vaccine in arms as soon as possible.”
“Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia is pleased to be a partner in the delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccine in this province,” Allison Bodnar, CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia said. “Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are eager to do their part to end this pandemic. With all health-care providers working together, we believe that we will be successful in getting Nova Scotians their COVID-19 vaccine quickly.”
Currently, the province said five long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia have received vaccine to administer a first dose, six First Nation clinics in Mi’kmaw communities have administered their first dose, two pharmacy prototype clinics have launched, with two more set to launch the week of March 15, and Nova Scotia will open 10 community-based vaccination clinics across the province by the end of March.
Those vaccination clinics include long-term care facilities around the region, as well as the MacKay Room at the Bloomfield Centre on the StFX campus, and the Shopper’s Drug Mart outlet in Port Hawkesbury.
Nova Scotians who are eligible, but do not want to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, can get their vaccine when they become eligible based on their age under Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 immunization plan, according to the province.
“All COVID-19 vaccines provide good protection against severe COVID-19 illness,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health. “Having the AstraZeneca vaccine will allow eligible Nova Scotians to have an option to receive an earlier immunization.”
The province added it will also have more vaccine with 38,000 extra doses of Pfizer-BioNtech arriving in the last two weeks of March.