Screen grab courtesy GNB on YouTube.
Public Health announced 12 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday.
More than 64 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have now received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Last week, the province marked June 7 as its target for 75 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers receiving a first dose, leaving us just five days from reaching that target.
If that target is met, old Yellow phase restrictions would be announced, allowing New Brunswickers to expand their personal bubble, and the Atlantic Bubble would reopen with the exception of Nova Scotia.
At Wednesday’s press briefing Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said 45 per cent of vaccine appointments between now and June 7 remain unfilled.
“This is your call to arms: we need your arms to fill those clinics,” Russell said.
Russell later said the issue doesn’t appear to be vaccine hesitancy, and the unfilled spots are due to an abundance of clinics popping up.
Despite the 11 per cent gap between the province’s current vaccination total and its goal, both Dr. Russell and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said they were optimistic we would hit the target.
“I think we’re quite confident. There’s data that we are still inputting and we don’t see a resistance,” Shephard said. “I think this is a matter of just ensuring that people understand we have this lofty goal that we think is extremely achievable and encourage everyone to make the time.”
Russell said later that they’re aiming to hit 75 per cent by ‘midnight on June 7’ and that clinics may stay open later on that day to help reach the goal.
Neither Shephard nor Russell provided guidance on what would happen if the 75 per cent target is not met. However, Shephard did say that it would not necessarily mean the other targets, including the Green phase on August 2, would not need to be pushed back.
“Everyone must get vaccinated. Every New Brunswicker wants to see the threat of COVID-19 reduced in our province, but this virus won’t magically disappear on its own,” Russell said.
“If we want to put this behind us we all need to take action now. So please don’t wait for a miracle to get us back to a normal life: be the miracle.”
On Wednesday, Premier Blaine Higgs told reporters they may count New Brunswickers who were vaccinated outside of the province.
Minister Shephard said they would provide an update on that process ‘in the next day or so.’
Case breakdown
The 12 cases announced Wednesday were split between four different health zones:
- 3 cases in Zone 1 Moncton region
- 1 in Zone 2 Saint John
- 4 in Zone 3 Fredericton
- 4 in Zone 4 Bathurst
There are now 140 active cases province-wide, including six New Brunswickers self-isolating in other provinces.
Seven New Brunswickers with the viruses, including two in intensive care. One of these patients is hospitalized outside of the province.
AstraZeneca update
Dr. Russell also announced today that the province would follow updated guidelines from the National Advisory Council on Immunizations.
NACI announced Tuesday that anyone who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine could follow that with a dose of an mRNA vaccine like Pfizer or Moderna.
“This new advice suggests that these vaccines are interchangeable without loss of effectiveness,” Russell said. “This will give us the flexibility in providing the second dose which provides maximum effectiveness against the COVID-19 virus.”
Russell said those aged 55 or older who received a first dose of AstraZeneca eight weeks or longer ago can book a second dose of that vaccine now, or they can wait for a an mRNA dose when second dose clinics open up for their age group.
