The Saint John Regional Hospital. (Image: Brad Perry)
Starting today (July 15), patients in New Brunswick hospitals and health care facilities will be able to welcome more visitors for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Horizon and Vitalite Health Networks are allowing visitors from outside the Atlantic Bubble under certain guidelines.
Infectious disease teams with the Horizon and Vitalite Health Networks have made recommendations for the revised guidelines which are in place starting today.
Canadian and international visitors must provide proof of full vaccination, provide proof of a negative COVID test prior to each visit, and agree to get tested again on days 5 and 10.
Before entering, Canadian and international visitors from outside the extended Atlantic Bubble who wish to visit a patient in a hospital or health care facility must:
- provide proof of vaccination with two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, and it must be at least 14 days after their second dose;
- provide proof of a negative COVID-19 result after entering the province and prior to each visit, and agree to be tested again on days 5 and 10;
- provide proof of approval to travel to New Brunswick through the New Brunswick Travel Registration Program;
- provide personal identification (ID) that matches their immunization record and travel registration; and
- follow New Brunswick Public Health (PH) measures and Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) policies, such as: monitoring themselves for COVID-19 symptoms before each visit, wearing a mask at all times, maintaining physical distancing and cleaning their hands frequently.
Online registration for travel to New Brunswick is also required.
International travellers are also subject to federal requirements to enter Canada, and where provincial and federal requirements differ, the most stringent requirements must be followed. Before entering, anyone from a higher risk area within the extended Atlantic Bubble (i.e. an increase in COVID-19 cases) who wishes to visit a patient in a Horizon hospital or health care facility must:
- provide proof of vaccination with two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, and it must be at least 14 days after their second dose;
- provide proof of a negative COVID-19 result after entering the province and prior to each visit, and agree to be tested again on days 5 and 10;
- provide personal identification (ID) that matches their immunization record and travel registration; and
- follow New Brunswick Public Health (PH) measures and IPC policies, such as: monitoring themselves for COVID-19 symptoms before each visit, wearing a mask at all times, maintaining physical distancing and cleaning their hands frequently.
Anyone from outside the Atlantic Bubble who is not vaccinated can visit the hospital but 14 days after entering the province.
All visitors will continue to be screened at hospital entrances.
Daily visitation hours will continue to run from 2 until 8 p.m.
