N.B. getting ready to don masks at midnight to battle spike in COVID-19 cases
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.