10 New COVID-19 Cases, Ages 18+ Now Eligible For Vaccine

Health officials have expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include New Brunswickers aged 18 and older.

Residents can now book vaccine appointments through Regional Health Authority clinics and pharmacies on the province’s website.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health, told reporters Tuesday the province is setting and breaking records every week with vaccine rollout. Still, she said there is more to do, and that is why the province is expanding the rollout.

“We have come so far, but we all need to come together,” said Russell.

10 new cases of COVID-19 were announced in New Brunswick today, nine of which were in the Fredericton health zone. The other was in the Bathurst region.

Officials also confirmed the province’s 42nd death, a person in their 70s from the Edmundston region. The individual was a resident of Pavillon Beau-Lieu, a special care home in Grand Falls, who passed away in hospital.

Russell couldn’t confirm if they had received a COVID-19 vaccine during Tuesday’s press briefing.

Education Minister Dominic Cardy spoke about the recent cases within schools in the Fredericton region. He says New Maryland Elementary School is closed after a positive case of COVID-19 was found. A significant portion of students and staff will also isolate until Thursday.

In addition, there was a new case found at Leo Hayes High School and it has moved to online learning until Thursday. Cardy said there has not been any in-school transmission.

“No news is good news,” said Cardy.

Cardy said the province still plans to use AstraZeneca vaccinations as second doses for any New Brunswickers who received it for their first dose. He understands concerns surrounding that shot since there were “confusing messages from Ottawa.”

“Fight that fear, take that first shot,” said Cardy.

The education minister also said they are hoping to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to individuals aged 12 and older soon.

The province plans to get up to 50 per cent of New Brunswick’s population vaccinated by the end of the weekend and it hopes to lower the vaccination ages in the coming days.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada would receive 4.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines this week. He said the country can expect approximately nine million doses in June alone. 

Russell couldn’t confirm how many doses New Brunswick will receive, but said they will arrive on a per capita basis.

Aaron Sousa is a reporter for Huddle, an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.