N.B. reports 237 new COVID-19 infections Wednesday; makes expansion for booster eligibility

New Brunswick is reporting 237 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, along with 98 recoveries, increasing the total number of active infections to 1,406.

Public health also reported another death related to COVID-19, involving a person in their 60s in the Fredericton region (Zone 3).

Of Wednesday's new cases:

• 57 are in the Moncton region (Zone 1)
• 96 are in the Saint John region (Zone 2)
• 41 are in the Fredericton region (Zone 3)
• 22 are in the Edmundston region (Zone 4)
• 2 are in the Campbellton region (Zone 5)
• 8 are in the Bathurst region (Zone 6)
• 11 are in the Miramichi region (Zone 7)

“The high number of cases today is not surprising. We are seeing the same thing happen in jurisdictions around us, which is why it is critical that people follow public health measures,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, in a news release. “I know people are tired, but it is the small things we all do to reduce contacts which can help slow the spread. In addition, wear a mask that fits properly, keep physically distant, only go out when you absolutely need to, and book your booster vaccine as soon as you are eligible.”

There are 40 patients in hospital with COVID-19 in New Brunswick, 17 of whom are in intensive care. Of those in hospital, 24 are over the age of 60 and 11 people are on a ventilator. There is no one under 19 hospitalized.

Five of the 40 people hospitalized were initially admitted for other reasons and contracted COVID-19 due to outbreaks at hospitals in Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton and Miramichi.

To date, New Brunswick has confirmed 86 cases of the Omicron variant. Health officials say testing is ongoing to determine how many other cases of the variant are in the province.

The province says there will be no COVID-19 news release or updated dashboard on Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, and Jan 2.

Information from those days will be provided on Dec. 27 and Jan. 3.

BOOSTER DOSE ELIGIBILITY EXPANDING

In order to further protect health-care and education facilities, booster dose eligibility has been expanded to include the following people if they are 18 and older and if 158 days have passed since their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine:

• Immediate household family members of anyone working in a long-term care facility, hospital or school.
• People working in child-care facilities and their immediate family members.

Additional booster dose clinics are available through regional health authority community COVID-19 vaccination clinics and participating pharmacies.

A detailed list of those eligible for a booster dose is also available online.

Vaccine clinics will continue to accept walk-ins in the days leading up to Christmas and New Year’s Day. Hours and dates of operations for clinics can be found online.

More than three million rapid tests have been given to New Brunswickers since Dec. 8 through schools, workplaces, airports and pickup sites. Information on pickup locations, including their hours of operation during the holidays, is available online.

UPDATE ON SCHOOLS, CHILD-CARE FACILITIES

Due to the winter break for schools and some early learning and child-care facilities, information on affected schools on the Healthy and Safe Schools website and on the COVID-19 dashboard will not be updated between Dec. 24 and Jan. 9. Regular updates will resume on Jan. 10.

Throughout the holidays, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s outbreak management team will continue to notify families of students who were at schools affected by the virus. Close contacts of cases in schools or child-care facilities will be contacted directly.

LEVEL 2 RESTRICTIONS

Based on a recommendation from public health, all zones in New Brunswick will move to Level 2 of the COVID-19 Winter Plan.

The move to Level 2 will go into effect on Monday, Dec. 27 at 11:59 p.m. and the following restrictions will be in place:

• The current household plus Steady 20 is replaced with household plus Steady 10.
• Patrons dining at restaurants must show proof of vaccination and tables must be at least two metres apart.
• Restaurants, retail stores, malls, businesses, gyms, salons and spas, and entertainment centres may continue to operate, but at 50 per cent capacity and with two metres of distance between patrons.
• For public gatherings, venues cannot have events with more than 150 people or 50 per cent capacity, whichever is less.
• Faith venues may operate at 50 per cent capacity and with physical distancing. Choirs are not permitted but one soloist may perform if they are at least four metres from the congregation.
• All travellers, including New Brunswickers returning to the province, must register or have a multi-use travel pass. Travellers arriving by air will be provided with a rapid test kit.
• Unvaccinated people entering the province must isolate and be tested on day 10. International travellers must follow federal testing and isolation guidelines and must be tested on day five and day 10.
• Travellers must follow public health measures when in New Brunswick including wearing a mask, physically distancing and staying within a Steady 10.

VACCINE UPDATE

Health officials say 82.7 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 89.7 per cent have received their first dose and 15.6 per cent have received a booster dose.

CONTACT TRACING

Starting Tuesday, contact tracers will no longer be notifying close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases. This will now be the responsibility of those who are infected.

Public health contact tracers will now only contact the person who tested positive, or their employer, and will provide them with isolation and testing guidance, as well as instructions on how to notify their close contacts using template letters. Public health will only step in for contact notifications if no other means are available.

Dr. Russell says public health will take specific actions to limit the spread of cases in schools. When an infection is confirmed in a K-8 school, the entire school will be considered close contacts. All students and staff will be required to take daily point-of-care tests. In high schools, this rule will apply to the infected student’s classes and those who travel on the same school bus.

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.