Dr. Mark MacMillan is the president of the New Brunswick Medical Society. (Image: submitted)
The New Brunswick Medical Society approves of the recently announced COVID-19 measures, according to a news release.
On Tuesday, N.B. Premier Blaine Higgs unveiled plans to implement a circuit breaker in high-case areas. This means most of the Moncton region, the upper Saint John River valley and the entire Edmundston region.
“These are difficult steps to take that are undoubtedly frustrating and disheartening for all New Brunswickers. However, physicians strongly believe that these are necessary steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent further strain on our health system,” Dr. Mark MacMillan, President of the New Brunswick Medical Society.
Essentially, the circuit breaker will serve as a lockdown for a minimum of 14 days. Residents in the affected region will be subject to several restrictions.
Dr. MacMillan also expressed support for the measures that prohibit any private Thanksgiving gatherings of more than one household.
However, the province clarified on Wednesday that a single household can be extended to allow “one additional person who lives alone at another address who requires support.”
The medical society calls the measures “necessary” to support New Brunswick’s ailing healthcare system, which has 51 COVID-19-related hospitalizations, including 25, as of Wednesday afternoon.
“Our health system does not have the human resources or hospital space to take on this surge of patients without drastically reducing services elsewhere.”
