PEDVAC’s Christmas Box program aims to help out during an expensive time of year
Every year, the Port Elgin District Voluntary Action Council, more commonly known as PEDVAC, puts together Christmas boxes for about 50 families in the Port Elgin area, and despite limitations that come along with a global pandemic, this year is no different.
Katie Tower is the new executive director of PEDVAC, about three months into the job, and entering a busy time for the community hub.
“Each box that goes out contains a turkey and all the trimmings for Christmas dinner, plus groceries for a week. We have toys and gifts or each family member, including children, and hand knitted hats, and mittens and socks, as well as Christmas candy that goes out in those boxes,” says Tower.
If a family is in need, “they can refer themselves,” says Tower, “or we also accept referrals from community agencies, groups or individuals on behalf of those that they feel may be in need of assistance.”
“Financial strains this time of year can really affect families and seniors,” says Tower. “So we’re just looking to help.”
Tower says that she’s hoping people facing additional challenges this pandemic year, with job losses and other economic stresses, will get in touch so PEDVAC can help. Applications can be picked up and filled out at PEDVAC on Church Street in Port Elgin, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.… Continue
Harm reduction services not always accessible in Sackville
Content Warning: The following story discusses opioid addiction and overdose. The CHIMO helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-667-5005.
If you suspect that you or someone else has overdosed, call 911 immediately.
Ashley Legere is the only person from Sackville who attended the “Getting to Tomorrow” conference earlier this month.
CHMA coverage of the “Getting to Tomorrow” event, which is available here.
Legere has spoken with CHMA before to talk about the harm reduction program she started at the Corner Drug Store, where she formerly worked as a pharmacy assistant.
Since then, Legere has accepted a new position with Ensemble Moncton as a part of their needle distribution services.
She says that opioids containing dangerous amounts of fentanyl are present in Sackville.
Ashley Legere: Having developed significant and meaningful relationships with addicts and recovering addicts… Fentanyl is prevalent in Sackville. Because a lot of that supplies coming from Moncton, I think, as well as Port Elgin and Nova Scotia. I give out fentanyl testing strips with almost every care package I give out now, and it’s because my patients have said to me, “fentanyl is prevalent in drugs.” But it’s the only supply they have, they are still using the drugs. So that is terrifying. There is no safe supply and you don’t know what you’re getting. But you can only get what you get.… Continue
Flagged flu vaccine batch found safe by Health Canada
The department found no irregularities and has no concern about health-care providers continuing to administer the batch.
Health Canada says the flu vaccine batch recently flagged by New Brunswick Public Health is safe.
The federal department told Radio-Canada it has found no cause-and-effect relationship between the vaccine and three cases of adverse neurological reactions in New Brunswick.
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan had stopped using the batch pending further testing.
Back on November 15, New Brunswick Public Health reported adverse events in three adults who received the vaccine between October 2 and 20. The neurologic symptoms, which included sustained numbness or weakness of the face and/or limbs, occurred within seven days of receiving the vaccine.
The province uses an electronic health record system which made it possible to identify the specific batch of influenza vaccine correlated to the three reports. They then alerted vaccine providers in the province and public health agencies across the country, and the specific vaccine batch was set aside in five provinces.
On Thursday last week, a Health Canada spokesperson told CBC that after testing the batch and other vaccine lots, the department found no irregularities and has no concern about health-care providers continuing to administer it.
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AUS pulls the plug on official winter season
Atlantic University Sport (AUS) has announced that it will not proceed with a winter season in 2021.
A press release last week says the AUS, “will not proceed with conference-sanctioned regular seasons or postseasons for the remainder of the 2020-21 season and will not host any conference championships.”
However, schools will be allowed to compete with each other if they see fit.
“Schools will be permitted to engage in competition at a level they are comfortable with, and would likely see the teams involved face opponents they are in closer proximity to geographically,” says the release.
The AUS has 11 member universities including Mount Allison, UNB, St. Thomas, and the Université de Moncton.
“We had hoped to be able to get to a place where we could see some semblance of a regular season and postseason take place for our winter sport student-athletes,” says AUS executive director Phil Currie. “Unfortunately given the current realities in many of our regions, and evolving public health directives, this won’t be possible.”… Continue