The Maritimes are seeing an earlier start to respiratory illness season. The province of New Brunswick announced it started sooner this year, and Prince Edward Island’s began on Aug. 30. In Nova Scotia, the Department of Health and Wellness says respiratory illness season hasn’t started yet, but they started their vaccine campaign on Oct. 8 to get ahead of it. “British Columbia has started early and that’s typical for us. We typically see our flu activity happen much slower than the west,” says Dr. Jesse Kancir, deputy chief medical officer with the Department of Health and Wellness. “It travels in this west-to-east pattern, so it’s an indication to us that we know the season is coming but again different parts of the country have more activity, we’re not quite there yet.” Kancir advises Maritimers to get their vaccines as soon as possible as the respiratory illness season approaches. “We know they make a big difference in terms of community sickness and people showing up at the hospitals. This is something that Nova Scotians do very well. I am really proud of how people show up for these campaigns,” he says. Many Nova Scotians are taking precautions now to avoid getting sick. Kancir says Nova Scotia has the highest rate of flu immunizations in the country. “I got my flu shot the other day, it’s just the time of year you gotta get it done,” says resident Peter Selig. “I’m getting up there in age, so I gotta have some extra protection.” “I really fight it off with vitamin C, but I have also had my shots so hopefully that’s gonna do it,” says Pat Maynard, from Halifax. “I got the flu shot just a little while ago and now I am getting the COVID Shot, I try to get the COVID shot every six months,” says Elaine Selig from Bedford, N.S. From Oct. 4 to 10, Nova Scotia’s Department of Health and Wellness posted there were 41 COVID-19 cases, 37 influenza and 0 RSV cases. The health-care department says when five per cent of their lab tests come back positive with inflection, that’s when the respiratory illness season starts. “We call it an interseason period, and what we are starting to see that may be a bit different from other years is that our numbers are starting to creep up a bit quicker than last year. That being said, we are far off from the peaks that we really see in December, so we do have weeks and potentially months until we really begin flu season,” says Kancir. Pharmacist Jamie Flynn who owns and operates The Medicine Shoppe in Halifax says he’s seen people coughing and sneezing and says viruses are going around. “There certainly are people that are sick for sure. There are always viruses going around as the weather gets colder and people are inside more and closer together,” he says. Flynn has seen quite the demand in Maritimers looking for vaccines. “Fully booked up, and it is challenging to get their vaccines, the vaccines come out in waves so we get a certain amount to start and we get more vaccine later into the season so all the vaccine that I have has been spoken for and booked up with appointments, but I’ve got more coming,” says Flynn. As the colder weather approaches, Maritimers are just hoping to avoid getting sick all together. “I take cod liver capsules two a day and two magnesium and that seems to work wonders,” says Gloria Frosst from Halifax. “I work for a company and we have a lot of sickness within the company, but I pretty well look after myself and I have not had a vaccination this year,” states Diane Vanderiet, who also lives in Halifax. “The moment school goes on, the kids have colds and they pass it on to mom and dad and grandpa and grandma,” says Pat Maynard from Halifax. The provincial Health and Wellness Department is monitoring the COVID-19, influenza and RSV cases and intends to keep its watch board updated. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
