Sabrina Gannon, Chair of the Lunenburg County Community Health Board Contributor
Fall provides some of the most beautiful events to gather with loved ones as well as the opportunity to show care for yourself, family and friends, and broader community by participating in N.S. Health’s fall immunization campaign.
Starting this week, vaccination will be available for eligible Nova Scotians for COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
In September, the provincial government expanded free RSV vaccination eligibility to include adults 75 years and older as well as infants under 8 months. COVID-19 vaccinations will be updated for the recent LP.8.1 strain, and are manufactured by Pfizer or Moderna.
Fun fact: if you’re getting the Moderna Spikevax vaccine, it will have been manufactured in Canada this year. Appointments for the Flu and Covid vaccines will be available as soon as Oct. 15, and you can check your eligibility and book at https://www.nshealth.ca/public-health/immunizations/seasonal-vaccines.
Vaccination is important — even if you don’t consider yourself at risk — because it reduces the likelihood of community transmission in shared spaces. Reducing transmission helps protect people in your community who are at high risk or unable to get vaccinated due to their age or health status. This reduction in community spread is valuable, especially considering there were 121 outbreaks of the flu and 201 outbreaks of COVID-19 in care facilities across the province between Aug. 25, 2024 and Aug. 23, 2025.
Increased vaccination rates contribute to lower community circulation of these diseases and less of a chance of one person being the catalyst of an outbreak in these facilities, which provide care to our most vulnerable people. Lower circulation also reduces the strain on our healthcare system; fewer people needing care, and fewer healthcare workers will need to take their own time out sick. And vaccines can prevent excess mortality in our communities, for example, vaccination against COVID-19 resulted in an estimated 63% reduction in deaths in the first year vaccines were available.
Having up-to-date vaccinations can provide helpful protection in the event that your health status or the risk level of someone close to you changes, and can reduce the severity of disease if you do get infected. COVID-19 vaccination can reduce your risk of developing Long Covid/Post Covid Condition (PCC).
The positive impacts of being up to date on your vaccines are personal and intrapersonal in ways that can make a difference in your life locally, provincially, and beyond. While at times inconvenient and not infallible, small actions like getting vaccinated, wearing a well fitting respirator, and improving ventilation indoors can all contribute to a healthier community. To the extent that you are able, consider the broad possibilities of showing care for your community.
Take a moment out of your day and a pinch in your arm by booking an appointment at https://www.nshealth.ca/public-health/immunizations/seasonal-vaccines.
