Nova Scotia is expanding its COVID-19 vaccination program and will lean on pharmacies to assist with the massive rollout.
“In a few short months we have set up clinics for health-care workers, in long-term care, in the community and soon, vaccines will be available in pharmacies,” said Premier Iain Rankin. “We are taking a measured and steady approach to getting vaccines into the arms of Nova Scotians as quickly as possible.”
The province has announced four pharmacy prototype clinics will launch in Halifax, Port Hawkesbury, Shelburne and Springhill in the coming weeks.
— March 9: Halifax Regional Municipality and Shelburne
— March 16: Port Hawkesbury
— March 23: Springhill
Access to vaccinations in pharmacies will be by invitation only and the pharmacy program is expected to expand to other communities in April.
Meantime, Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 immunization plan is also expanding to include anyone who works in a hospital and may come into contact with patients and community health-care providers who provide direct patient care.
This includes:
— doctors, nurses and continuing care assistants who work in community practice or provide care in the home
— dentists, dental assistants and dental hygienists
— pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and pharmacy technicians
“In keeping with our age-based approach to vaccine rollout, health-care workers in the next group will receive their vaccine based on their age,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health. “We will begin with those who are age 60 and older and then work back in five-year age groups until these health-care workers have been immunized.”
Health-care workers in the next group will receive an invitation to schedule their appointment.
Four of the 10 community-based vaccination clinics opened for booking in Halifax, Sydney, Truro and New Minas on March 1. These clinics will start immunizing on March 8.
Three more community COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Antigonish, Halifax and Yarmouth will also start booking on March 8 for clinics running March 15.
