What’s new?

To monitor data on a daily basis, see the Nova Scotia and Canadian data pages.

• Government provides further clarification around new self-isolation rule which took effect on Nov. 9 (see attached PDF for full details):
  • If a person travelling for non-essential reasons enters Nova Scotia from outside Atlantic Canada, everyone in the home where they are self-isolating must self-isolate as well. Nobody in that household can leave the property for 14 days and they cannot have visitors. This means no school, no shopping and no work outside the home.
  • This is coming into effect due to a rise in travel-related cases.
  • Non-essential travel means: only travel if absolutely necessary (i.e.) certain types of work or attending an immediate family members funeral.
  • If the shared home a traveler is isolating at has completely separate living space with its own amenities and entrance, then other family members may be exempt from self-isolating with the individual who’s returned to the Atlantic Bubble. The isolating person cannot leave their designated private area.
  • This is not retroactive
  • Please see attached PDF for further details on isolating in a hotel and finishing it in a home, going outside for a walk while isolating, driving a traveler back from the airport, and international travelers.
• A cluster of nine cases has been reported in the Clayton Park area of Halifax. The province will be setting up a mobile testing unit in this neighbourhood
  • Dr. Rob Strang says the province is at a critical tipping point. Now is the time for all Nova Scotians to reduce and restrict their activities and strictly adhere to all safety protocols
• Public health is advising of potential COVID-19 exposures at several locations. Click here to see the updated list
• Public health asks any health-care worker who was at the Bitter End on Nov. 2 between 9 p.m. and closing to:
  • NOT REPORT TO WORK
  • immediately self-isolate
  • notify 811 to arrange for testing, and
  • call Occupational Health Safety and Wellness at 1-833-750-0632 for tracking purposes
• Online booking service is now available for three more Nova Scotia Health sites. Beginning Nov. 6, patients can book appointments online for blood collection, X-ray, EKG at: Buchanan Memorial Health Centre and North Cumberland Memorial Hospital. Online booking service for blood collection and X-ray is also now available at Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital. This is in addition to 33 other Nova Scotia Health locations already offering online appointment booking Learn more
• The Publicly Funded Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Information 2020-21 has been updated. Click here to see the latest version
  • The post-puncture shelf life for Afluria Tetra MDV has been revised to specify 28 days. This reflects more current information from the product monograph than what is represented in the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2020-202
• The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) updated its guidelines on the risk of transmission from aerosols
  • SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads from an infected person to others through respiratory droplets and aerosols created when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, shouts or talks. The droplets vary in size from large droplets that fall to the ground rapidly (within seconds or minutes) near an infected person to smaller droplets (sometimes called aerosols) that can linger in the air in some circumstances
• Dr. Theresa Tam has updated her recommendation on masks. A mask or face covering can be homemade or purchased and should be made of at least three layers; two layers should be tightly woven material fabric, such as cotton or linen, and a third (middle) layer should be a filter-type fabric, such as non-woven polypropylene fabric Learn more

Webinars
Doctors Nova Scotia-hosted webinars have ended for the time being. Watch for more information.

DNS webinar recordings
Did you miss a webinar? Recordings are available; here are the most recent:

• Oct. 27: Family medicine in the new normal
• Oct. 14: Preventing COVID-19 transmission in schools
• Oct. 6: Seasonal flu and COVID-19

Check out recordings of previous webinars on the DNS COVID-19 info hub.

ICYMI

Free PPE extended until end of 2020
Government will supply community physicians with free personal protective equipment (PPE) for this flu season, until Dec. 31. This includes gloves for administering intranasal influenza vaccine and additional medical masks, gowns, gloves, hand sanitizer and face shields for providing first aid and/or emergency assistance. Community physicians can click here to submit a request to the Department of Health and Wellness for additional PPE supplies for administering flu vaccinations; either update a previous request or make a new one. Your organization will be notified by email of the approved supply and instructions for online ordering. For more information, email PPErequest@novascotia.ca.

DNS staff, meetings and events
All DNS meetings and events have moved to a virtual format. You may reach staff by email or by calling 902-468-1866 or toll free at 1-800-563-3427.

Resources
See the DNS COVID-19 info hub for a complete list of COVID-19 resources.

Information hubs to watch

• Nova Scotia Health updates and service cancellations
• IWK updates and service cancellations
• Doctor Nova Scotia updates and information
• Dalhousie CPD COVID-19 webpage
• Department of Health and Wellness
• 811 assessment online assessment
• Government of Canada
• Canadian Medical Association
• Canadian Pediatric Society COVID-19 resources for the care of children