New COVID Measures Ahead Of Thanksgiving Weekend

New Brunswickers will have to scale down their Thanksgiving plans as new COVID-19 restrictions are set to go into effect.

All residents are being told to limit their contacts to their single household between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday.

“Our greatest concern right now would be casual in-home gatherings,” Premier Blaine Higgs said during a news conference Tuesday.

“Social gatherings of unvaccinated New Brunswickers are driving our current situation.”

People showing proof of vaccination and a government-issued ID can continue to attend businesses and events during this time. Children under 12 accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult will also be admitted.

‘Circuit breaker’ for parts of N.B.

The province also announced a two-week “circuit breaker” for several COVID-19 hot spots throughout the province, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.

That includes Zone 1 (the Moncton region) as far north as and including Sainte-Anne-de-Kent; Zone 3 in the upper Saint John River valley north of and including Florenceville-Bristol; and all of Zone 4 (the Edmundston region).

• People must limit their contacts to their single household, which includes individuals living together; caregivers for any member of the household; and any parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild living outside the household who requires support.
• No private indoor or outdoor gatherings are permitted.
• Travel to or from circuit breaker regions is restricted, except for those who must travel for essential reasons, including work, health services, child custody, childcare or post-secondary education, or travel to events where proof of vaccination is required.
• All schools will remain open, unless advised otherwise by Public Health. Sports and extra-curricular activities will be paused for those 12 and under. No spectators will be permitted for any school sports or extra-curricular activities within the impacted areas. Details on a rapid testing program rolling out next week in all schools are available below.
• Businesses, entertainment centres and events may remain open and can continue to admit people who show proof of full vaccination and a government-issued ID. Children under 12 accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult will also be admitted.

The circuit breaker measures are expected to last for at least 14 days, said Higgs.

“This step is required to protect our health care system and is aimed at achieving a reduction in hospitalizations,” he said.

“I appreciate this is a lot to take in, but it’s imperative that we now take decisive action if we’re going to get this fourth wave under control as quickly as possible.”

Active case count approaches 800

New Brunswick announced 90 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday and one additional death involving a person in their 80s in the Edmundston region.

There have now been 69 deaths related to COVID-19, including 13 since last Wednesday.

With 74 more recoveries also reported Tuesday, the number of active cases climbed to 782.

There are currently 50 people in the hospital due to COVID-19, with 23 in an intensive care unit.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said 82 per cent of the cases in hospital involve people who are not vaccinated.

“We have seen an unprecedented number of deaths, hospitalizations, and ICU admissions over the last month, more than at any time since the pandemic began,” said Russell.

“New Brunswick has also seen record numbers of new cases and active cases.”

Tuesday’s new cases include 45 in the Moncton region, 25 in the Fredericton health zone, seven in the Edmundston area, five in the Bathurst region, four in the Saint John area, three in the Miramichi region, and one in the Campbellton health zone.

As of Tuesday, 80.7 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 89.7 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine.

Russell said she still hopes everyone who can get vaccinated will choose to do so.

“I know there are some New Brunswickers who will not be getting vaccinated for various reasons and I understand that this is a minority in our province and will not likely be swayed by arguments that I make or evidence that I present, nor will they necessarily be convinced by pleading of friends or family who care about them,” she said.

A list of potential public exposures to COVID-19 can be found online.

Rapid testing program in schools

Higgs announced that a new rapid testing program will be rolling out in schools across the province.

It comes as more than 70 schools have reported COVID-19 cases since the school year began.

“Beginning October 12th, unvaccinated students who are deemed a close contact of a case will be provided with a supply of rapid tests along with instructions,” said Higgs.

Tests may be sent home with students or picked up by parents the following day, depending upon when the school is notified of a confirmed case.

Unvaccinated students will have to self-isolate for at least 24 hours while they take their first two rapid tests.

They will be able to return to school after two negative tests unless they have symptoms or are advised by Public Health. Students will have to test daily until the end of the period decided by Public Health to continue attending school.

Students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, must stay home and get a PCR test through Public Health if they have received notification that they are a close contact and have even one symptom.

Mandatory vaccination requirements

The premier also announced mandatory vaccination requirements for staff in long-term care facilities, staff and volunteers in schools and licensed early learning and child-care facilities, and all government employees in Parts I, II, III, and IV.

According to a 2013 report, that includes civil servants, teachers, bus drivers, school district employees, all health sector employees, and employees of New Brunswick Community College and Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick.

Workers have until Nov. 19 to be fully vaccinated, unless they have a medical exemption, or they will be placed on leave without pay.

“In the interim, individuals who are not fully vaccinated who become contacts of a positive case and need to isolate will be on leave without pay,” said Higgs.

Early learning and childcare facilities that do not ensure their staff is fully vaccinated could lose their license, he said.

With files from Tamara Steele and Robert Lothian.