No Vaccine Service for Cumberland Seniors
EDITORIAL
Nova Scotia Health is rolling out the next round of vaccinations for people aged 70 to 74. However, don’t hold your breath for people living in Cumberland County.
A press release says, “Starting today, April 1, people can book appointments at community clinics and participating pharmacies across the province. They are offering Moderna or Pfizer vaccine for this age range.”
Bookings are made online and require you to jump through a number of hoops before finding the clinic locations. It turns out there isn’t one in Cumberland. The largest county with the highest per capita population of seniors does not merit a local site.
County residents can choose from multiple options in more distant locations in Colchester or Pictou counties, the sites set for serving the sprawling Northern Zone.
With no option in Cumberland, you might be inclined to call the toll free number to ask why. Almost two hours of dialing accomplished only one connection and that was a recorded announcement telling me to go online—back to the place that sent me to the toll free number.
When your age group is offered the vaccine, be ready to pack a lunch and take a road trip, as Nova Scotia’s largest county apparently doesn’t merit a clinic. You can take some comfort in knowing the road trip will be faster than trying to talk with anyone at Nova Scotia Health.
Their stated goal is to immunize as many Nova Scotians as quickly as possible, based on age, to reach a high rate of population immunity. The track record suggests something is not working as Nova Scotia has the lowest vaccination rate in Canada.
The folks who actually give you the needle are pretty quick as patients are channelled through the process quite efficiently. Getting through the booking process… not so much.
I can’t blame the people in the booking program but that’s because I am yet to reach anyone who works there.
They used to be called the Nova Scotia Health Authority but they dropped the word “authority” because it sounded, well, a little too authoritarian. I am reminded of the old saying, “If the shoe fits, wear it,”
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