Nova Scotia Health Authority – Part 1 – Vaccine Process

This blog started as one, but will be posted as two separate blogs.  

As we all know, the vaccines are being rolled out in our province of Nova Scotia.  My Mom is 83, and with a January birthdate she was in the first grouping of 80+.  We anxiously awaited her letter from the NS Health Authority, with instructions on how to proceed with regards to obtaining a date for her first injection.  The letter arrived on a Thursday and I could register her on the following Monday, either online or by telephone.  I had heard, via media and friends, that their experience of registering their family members had been difficult, and the system that was in place for online registration had initially crashed, as it was not adequate to handle the number of people trying to register.  On Monday, March 8, I began to register Mom, online, around 7am, when the registration process opened.  I also attempted to call, in case I was able to get through quicker.  I was in the on-line queue, with a 26 minute wait time, within seconds of trying.  I thought that was great and I’d be able to get it done before going to work.  As for the phone option, I continually got a busy signal.  I had to leave for work at 7:30 and I still had a 26 minute wait time.  I took my iPad to work and once there I loaded the registration page.  I was again quickly in the queue, with about a 60 minute wait time.  I proceeded with my work duties, while keeping an eye on the iPad.  In no time at all the screen changed and the registration began. It took perhaps 5 minutes to register and secure an appointment.  I felt this was all very reasonable.  

Mom’s appointment was for March 18th, at 9:10am, at the Bloomfield Centre at St. F X University.   We arrived about 20 minutes before her appointment. As we looked for a parking space we noticed a lady standing by her car.  We asked if we were near the Bloomfield Centre and she said yes.  She pointed out the building and said ‘oh you must be here for your vaccination’.  She told us what door to go in, and to use the elevator to go to the next floor, where the clinic was set up.  She was actually one of the ladies working the clinic.  We followed her directions and upon entering the building we saw a janitor/maintenance worker. We asked him where the elevator was and he very kindly walked us to the doors.  He also said “oh you must be here for the vaccination”.  He was so upbeat and happy.  There seemed to be an overall feel of excitement in the air.  When we arrived on the floor where the clinic was, it was quiet.  Not many people had yet arrived for their appointments.  We were guided to a place to sit while they continued to prepare the clinic area.  In no time at all we were waved to proceed forward and join a line.  Others had entered from another entrance, so there were actually a few people already waiting.  Mom was number 5 in line to get her shot.  We very quickly found ourselves at the registration desk.  This process was over in minutes and we were then in the lineup.  This was the first clinic being held for 80+ in Antigonish, so there was some extra preparation to setting up.  We waited a few minutes and then we were ushered into a sitting area.  I spoke with  a lady who was looking after the lineup and she was very upbeat and so happy to know she was doing her part to help the elderly. She had been working the clinic for St. Martha’s Hospital the two previous days.  As we waited, I watched some of the elderly people and could feel a sense of excitement and relief. I noticed a few were actually emotional.  I believe for some, getting out for the vaccine was perhaps one of the few times they have been out in over a year.  One gentleman was kicking up his heels, he was so happy to be there.  

There was a slight delay, as final instructions were being given to the healthcare workers who were working the clinic.  Mom was very calm through the whole process.  Nothing really riles or excites her too much anyway.  We finally got the nod to proceed to the next available healthcare worker, to receive her vaccine.  The young lady was very professional, and went through the routine questions, which became quite humorous at one point when she asked Mom if she was ‘pregnant, planning to be pregnant or breastfeeding’.  Then the young lady said ‘well I guess we can delete some of these questions for this clinic’.  She explained she had been working the clinic at the local hospital the previous two days, so those questions were relevant there.  It was time for the injection.  I couldn’t watch, thus no pictures.  I hate needles and I hate seeing them being administered.  I turned away, only to be faced with six other booths where people were being injected.  Ick.  Mom was given a sticky note with her time of injection on it. We proceeded to the next step, where we handed the sticky note to the lady who recorded the time Mom would be released, after waiting 15 minutes to make sure there were no immediate side affects.  We took our seats and while we waited I observed the process, the atmosphere, the faces of the elderly and of the healthcare workers and all I can say is it was a very unique uplifting experience.  From the lady in the parking lot, to the janitorial and maintenance staff, to the security workers of St. F X, to the students who we passed as we entered and exited the Bloomfield Centre, to the healthcare workers, volunteers, etc. of the clinic, and especially the 80+ who were getting their first vaccines, it was an amazing experience and I was so happy to be part of it and witness the positiveness that was being exhibited by everyone.  As I closed my eyes, and just listened, I heard the hum of conversations and laughter, yes, lots of laughter.  

On the drive home Mom said, “I’m really glad to have the first shot of Pfizer done.”  This meant a lot.  She really hadn’t said much leading up to the appointment.  But I now knew she was grateful.

I spoke to a friend who had taken her parents to a clinic in Sydney and she had the same experience. She agreed the clinic was well organized, there was a sense of excitement, it was unique and we both felt a sense of elation being able to experience it with our senior parent(s).

It’s been a long year and hopefully this is the first step to getting back to some sort of normalcy.  We have so much to be thankful for, especially the guidance from Dr. Robert Strang, former Premier of Nova Scotia Stephen MacNeil and current Premier Iain Rankin.  They have done an admirable job of keeping us updated and advising us on what to do and what not to do.