Premier Blaine Higgs. (GNB YouTube)
New Brunswick has no new cases of COVID-19 for the 14th consecutive day.
As a result of flattening the curve, Premier Blaine Higgs confirms the province will be moving into the next phase (Yellow Phase) of the pandemic recovery on Friday.
The “yellow phase” includes the reopening of hairdressers, barbers, gyms, rinks, pool halls and dance studios.
In addition, the personal bubble would be expanded to include close friends and family members, and gatherings up to 50 with physical distancing, for events like weddings and funerals will be permitted.
You can find more details about what the “yellow phase” includes on the provincial government’s website.
Despite moving into the next phase, Higgs says the provincial borders will remain closed.
He adds Quebec, Nova Scotia and the state of Maine all have active COVID-19 cases and he doesn’t want to take any unnecessary risks.
Higgs has also announced a top-up fund for front line workers of $500 per month over four months.
Those eligible must earn less than $18 per hour and include workers in child care, home support, homeless shelters and transition homes.
Meanwhile, Higgs admits he’s disappointed less than half of the roughly 600 jobs available in the seafood and agriculture industries have been filled.
“I said I wouldn’t let them go without employees and I meant that, I won’t. If we don’t fill the roster in the next few days of what’s needed right now, then there will be decisions made to ensure that we can meet the needs,” he says.
Many of those jobs had been previously filled by temporary foreign workers who were banned from entering the province last month.
