COVID-19 vaccines for children to arrive in N.B. Tuesday; province reports 647 active cases

HALIFAX -

COVID-19 vaccines for children aged five to 11 in New Brunswick are expected to arrive in the province on Tuesday.

In a news release on Monday, health officials say vaccine will be distributed throughout the province and it is anticipated that the first doses will be administered before the end of the week through regional health authority community clinics and participating pharmacies.

According to the provincial government, there are about 54,500 children who will be eligible to receive the vaccine.

The province says 87.5 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated and 93.4 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine.

In total, 1,259,312 vaccine doses have been administered in New Brunswick.

A detailed list of those eligible for a booster dose in New Brunswick is available online.

Appointments for first and second doses, as well as a booster dose for those eligible, can be scheduled for a regional health authority community COVID-19 vaccination clinic through the online booking system or at a participating pharmacy. Residents of First Nations communities can also book an appointment at a community clinic.

A list of upcoming mobile and walk-in clinics is available online.

62 NEW CASES, 55 RECOVERIES

New Brunswick also reported 62 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, along with 55 recoveries, as the total number of active infections increases to 647.

Public health says there are 33 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 15 of which are in an intensive care unit.

No one under the age of 19 is currently hospitalized in New Brunswick.  

Information about the rates of cases and hospitalizations based on vaccination status is available on the COVID-19 dashboard.

OUTBREAK DECLARED AT LANTERN HOUSE IN SAINT JOHN

Public health in New Brunswick has declared an outbreak at Lantern House – a rooming house in Saint John.

Following four positive cases, members of the Provincial Rapid Outbreak Management Team were deployed. A round of testing was scheduled to take place on Monday, followed by another round later in the week.

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF SUNDAY'S CASES

Twenty new cases are in Zone 1 (Moncton region), and involve:

• six people 19 and under
• a person in their 20s
• three people in their 30s
• seven people in their 40s
• a person in their 50s
• two people in their 60s

Thirteen cases are under investigation and seven are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Eight new cases are in Zone 2 (Saint John region), and involve:

• two people 19 and under
• two people in their 20s
• a person in their 30s
• two people in their 40s
• a person in their 50s

One case is under investigation and seven are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Twenty-four new cases are in Zone 3 (Fredericton region), and involve:

• eight people 19 and under
• four people in their 20s
• five people in their 30s
• three people in their 40s
• four people in their 50s

Seventeen cases are under investigation and seven are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Three new cases are in Zone 6 (Bathurst region), and involve:

• two people in their 20s
• a person in their 40s

All three cases are under investigation.

Seven new cases are in Zone 7 (Miramichi region), and involve:

• a person 19 and under
• two people in their 40s
• three people in their 50s
• a person in their 60s

Five cases are under investigation and two are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Additional information is available on the COVID-19 dashboard.

POSITIVE CASES IN SCHOOLS AND CHILD-CARE FACILITIES

Positive COVID-19 cases have been confirmed at Nackawic Childcare and Totally Kids Daycare, both located in the Fredericton region (Zone 3).

New cases have also been confirmed at Joy Pre-School in Zone 3 (Fredericton region), Spring Roots Early Learning & Child Care Centre in Zone 3 (Fredericton region), Love and Learn Child Care Center in Zone 1 (Moncton region) and Petitcodiac Boys & Girls Club's Early Learning Centre in Zone 1 (Moncton region), all of which were previously impacted.

“Affected families have been notified. If you or a family member have been in close contact with a case, you will be notified by public health or the facility for contact tracing," wrote public health in a news release. "If you are not notified directly, you have not been identified as a close contact."

Since Sept. 7, 85 early learning and child-care facilities have had confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Information on cases in schools is available on the Healthy and Safe Schools website and the COVID-19 dashboard.

RAPID TESTING PROGRAM FROM CHILD-CARE FACILITIES

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, in collaboration with public health, has expanded the rapid-testing program for schools to include early learning and child-care facilities.

Beginning Monday, children two years and older, along with staff at child-care facilities who are identified as a close contact of a confirmed case, will be provided either a five, 10, or 15-day supply of rapid tests, depending on the last possible exposure date to the confirmed case.

Public health says the kits will be provided directly through the facility's operator.

Children attending child care will be required to self-isolate for a period of at least 24 hours while they take their first two rapid tests.

"Unless otherwise advised by public health, learners will be able to return to child care once they have recorded two negative tests and if they have no symptoms," wrote public health. "They will be required to continue to test daily until the end of the period as prescribed by Public Health through instructions they receive with their kits."

Children 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 or receive a positive result on a rapid test. Children or staff who are household contacts of confirmed cases are not eligible to participate in the program and must follow isolation requirements set out by public health.

UDPATE ON COVID-19 CASES AT DORCHESTER PENITENTIARY

In a news release from Correctional Service Canada Monday evening, it says following COVID-19 tracing and testing, they have identified additional cases of the virus at the Dorchester Penitentiary.

As of Monday, 50 inmates and five staff members at the medium-security unit have tested positive for COVID-19.

A spokesperson for the department says one case is not related to the outbreak, which is currently contained to that unit.

Affected staff are self-isolating at home.

"We are closely monitoring the situation, testing broadly, and diligently applying infection prevention and control measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the institution," read the release. "In addition to the use of masks, medical isolation and physical distancing, CSC has also established cohorts and modified routines as a measure to help prevent the spread of the virus within the institution. We continue to work closely with public health, including experts, to adapt our approach and take additional measures, as needed."

CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 7,731 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those, 6,961 cases have recovered and 122 people have died.

To date, 547,200 COVID-19 tests has been conducted in New Brunswick.

POTENTIAL PUBLIC EXPOSURES

A full list of potential COVID-19 exposure notifications in New Brunswick can be found on the province's website.

Anyone with symptoms of the virus, as well as anyone who has been at the site of a possible public exposure, is urged to request a test online or call Tele-Care at 811 to get an appointment.