It’s been over a year since COVID-19 arrived at the doorstep of Northwood’s Halifax campus and claimed the first three lives of an outbreak that would go on to infect 240 residents and kill a total of 53. And it’s been just under 11 months since the province declared that outbreak over. But on Tuesday […]
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Where to get a rapid COVID-19 test this weekend (May 1-2)
Note: This article is old. For more current info, read our latest ‘Where to Get Tested’ article. On Friday, the Nova Scotia government paused booked PCR tests for most Nova Scotians. This weekend, the only tests available (unless you’re a close contact or possible exposure) are rapid or pop-up tests. To get a rapid test […]
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“We’re going to be throwing vaccines in the garbage and it could’ve been in somebody’s arm.”
The scene at one HRM pharmacy looks like this: Back-to-back appointments, four an hour. The sound of vials of vaccine cracking open is such a constant noise it probably permeates the pharmacists’ dreams. It’s a well-oiled machine, if one that’s new on its feet. “We’re highly sought after,” says the pharmacy manager (who, like all […]
Posted inArts + Music
15 lockdown life enhancers to help you hold on
It’s our third time around this dance floor that feels a little more on fire with every step. A third wave of COVID-19 has come ashore in Nova Scotia, and a strict, circuit breaker lockdown is in effect to help curb the spread. But you already know all this, because you’re either risking your life […]
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After public pressure, Nova Scotia to start collecting race-based healthcare data
The Nova Scotia government has started a community-based working group to begin collecting race-based data in the province’s healthcare system. This comes after researchers and members of the public applied pressure on the government to start collecting health data by race. “We know that race is one of the factors that affects people’s access to […]
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It’s irresponsible to refuse a vaccine (yes, even AstraZeneca)
Since vaccines first began rolling out in Nova Scotia, public health officials have been telling residents to get a vaccine as soon as they can, once one becomes available. “Ultimately it’s an individual choice, but I would say: if you get an opportunity to get a vaccine, take it,” said doctor Robert Strang during a […]
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Women scramble to find childcare in lockdown—again
Last week, schools around HRM began shutting down for cleaning after COVID-19 exposures. “We didn’t have to get tested, we were not told that there was a case in the school, but it was a case in the community,” says Ronit Milo, whose eight-year-old son’s Dartmouth school shut down Thursday. As the days went on, […]
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6 things in the federal budget you should know about if you live in Halifax
The 2021 federal budget was announced last week. Oh, you were too busy getting COVID-19 tests and prepping for the local lockdown to care? That’s understandable. But now that you’ve had a few days to settle into the slowdown, you might like some good news from Ottawa to take your mind off our outbreak. In […]
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The new COVID restrictions: What’s considered essential in Nova Scotia
On Tuesday, with 96 new cases bringing the province to a total of 419 active COVID-19 infections, Nova Scotia locked down. Not only does the rest of the province join Halifax, which went into lockdown Friday, but the restrictions are getting tighter. “We are in a race between the variant and the vaccine,” said doctor […]
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Short-staffed and with sick students, Halifax schools close for two weeks
In the past seven days, there have been 30 cases connected to schools in Nova Scotia. That’s more than in the previous five months, so a junior high math student could figure out there’s a growing COVID-19 problem in the school system. Sure enough, with 323 active cases in the province, most of those—266 to […]
Posted inArts + Music
Music review: Fungus’s album Sanguine will grow on you
Sanguine is the colour of oxygen-depleted blood, of a scab. It’s also the name of the red sunrise that is Halifax four-piece Fungus’s debut LP. The self-described “goblin rock” band has been quietly building a devoted fan base since 2018 with its particular blend of grunge, country and blues, selling out Gus’ Pub late last […]
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Halifax restaurants better prepped for third shutdown
Today, Halifax restaurants didn’t set any tables lunch. They aren’t open for after-work drinks on Friday, and they won’t be taking reservations for weekend brunch either. That’s right, for the third time since the pandemic began 13 months ago, Halifax-area restaurants are closed to dine-in service. “After talking with my team about the cases they […]