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N.B. getting ready to don masks at midnight to battle spike in COVID-19 cases

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FREDERICTON -

This time tomorrow, mandatory masking will have returned to the province of New Brunswick after a spike in COVID-19 cases.

With 65 new cases today, there are currently 509 active infections, a record in the province.

Businesses and organizations are preparing for the new measures.

"There's a lot of behind-the-scenes things that we're doing too, printing up signs, there's costs incurred for us to be able to do this and at this point luckily we're an organization that has the girth to be able to absorb some of this," said Zane Korytko, CEO of the Greater Moncton Area YMCA.

The province's proof-of-vaccination mandate comes into affect at 11:59 Tuesday night.

The YMCA says all staff and volunteers must be fully vaccinated.

And like many places now, will require members to show their proof of vaccination.

"The staff are putting in long hours to be able to input in all the members who are vaccinated so that they'll be given easy access back into the facility," Korytko said.

Karen Justason has continued to wear her mask since the province entered the green phase of recovery.

"I like the mask mandate I haven't taken mine off since it started I feel that everybody should be wearing their masks and getting vaccinated," Justason said.

Two sisters who were out for a stroll in downtown Fredericton told CTV they were happy to see the restrictions return.

"People you hang out with most often are probably likeminded and the people I've been hanging out with and talking to in the last 24 hours are pretty generally pleased with having that in place," said Erin Barton.

"We just want to make sure our kids are safe and those that are vulnerable are safe that can't get the vaccine so why not wear a mask," Morgan Mitchell, Barton's sister said.

But not everyone feels the same.

"I feel like it's a little unnecessary, just because we've already gotten the almost 80 per cent and they keep pushing that statistic back that percentage requirement back and how are you going to enforce it if there's no emergency mandate," said Jayme Guerrero.

Both first and second doses of vaccinations have each risen by one decimal point, to 86.6 and 77.9 percent respectively since yesterday.

Forty-eight of the 65 new cases were not fully vaccinated.

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