Virus activity rises in Nova Scotia as vaccine appointments fill up

Nova Scotia is reporting another two deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total to nine since the end of August.

According to its latest report on virus activity in the province, an additional 51 people have been hospitalized for COVID. It's not clear how many of those are from earlier in the season and are just being announced now.

There are also 14 COVID outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

"COVID-19 activity has been increasing since the start of the season but is lower than during the same time period in 2022, and RSV activity has increased in the last two weeks," the report said.

In total, there have been 29 cases of RSV since the reporting season began at the end of August.

There have only been about a dozen cases of the flu.

Flu, COVID vaccines available

The update comes as the provincial government urges people to protect themselves from respiratory viruses this year by getting both the flu shot and updated COVID vaccine.

Both vaccinations are available to anyone in the province over six months of age.

Pharmacist Jamie Flynn, who owns a Medicine Shoppe location in Halifax, said he's encouraged by the turnout for vaccines so far. All of his appointments were quickly booked up.

"The uptake has been very, very strong and very good so far," he said.

If people can't find appointments, Flynn suggests people keep checking the online booking site.

More vaccine supply is arriving, which means he can now open more spots. He expects other pharmacies are doing the same.

"I'm going to have to put next week's schedule and the week after in here quite soon."

Uptake rates unclear

Flynn said some people don't realize they can use the same booking system to make appointments to get both the flu and COVID shots at once.

"It's easier, simpler to get protected as soon as possible."

He said booking an appointment is essential to ensure a pharmacy has the supply and the time to administer the vaccinations.

"We just certainly need to manage things and make sure that we can still help our patients that are coming in normally in the pharmacy, as well as have a manageable situation with flu shots and COVID vaccine," he said.

"It's a busy time of year."

The province also said the vaccine booking system has been busy, but it's too soon to get an accurate count of uptake rates.