New Brunswick speeding up appointments for second doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Anyone in New Brunswick who received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before May 1 can now book an appointment for their second dose.
"As the number of fully vaccinated New Brunswickers increases and as travel restrictions and border measures are eased, we expect there will be more COVID-19 cases in New Brunswick," said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. "This is why it’s important for all New Brunswickers who are able to get their second dose to do so once they are eligible. Those who are not vaccinated will be at highest risk for having severe symptoms and hospitalization."
To get their second dose, New Brunswickers are asked to bring a signed consent form, their Medicare card, and a copy of the record of immunization provided after receiving their first dose. If possible, residents are asked to book an appointment at the same pharmacy or clinic at which they received their first dose.
You can book an appointment through a participating pharmacy or at a Vitalité or Horizon health network clinic.
Anyone 12 and older who has not received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine is also eligible to book an appointment.
"If you received Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, you can book an appointment for either vaccine for your second dose," Public Health wrote in a news release. "They work the same way and have similar levels of safety and effectiveness."
PROVINCE CONFIRMS FOUR NEW CASES
Public Health reported four new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
Three of the cases are in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) and the other case is in Zone 6 (Bathurst region). All four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.
This raises the number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 2,309 since the pandemic began. One person recovered since Wednesday, so the number of active cases rises slightly to 61. Six people are in hospital in New Brunswick, including two in an intensive care unit.
There have been 45 deaths in New Brunswick since the pandemic began.
On Wednesday, Public Health conducted 1,171 tests to raise the overall total to 354,805.
PHASE 2 ON THE PATH TO GREEN
The provincial government's second phase on the path toward the Green level of the COVID-19 reopening plan went into effect on Wednesday at midnight.
Dr. Jeff Steeves is the president of the New Brunswick Medical Society. He says, while the pandemic is hitting a new stage, it is still a pandemic.
"Seventy-five per cent of us are vaccinated, we're transitioning this more into a cold," said Steeves. "It won't disappear. We will probably have COVID infections but we'll be keeping people out of the hospital from being long haulers, from becoming very ill and reducing their risk passing it on."
Public health says it is confident the healthcare system can handle the expectation that new cases will pop up.
"However, none of us wants to be part of those new cases and we will expect new cases under these opening up guidelines, so it's really important to continue to do the same things we've been doing, wearing a mask, washing our hands, staying six feet apart," said Barbara Mackinnon with the New Brunswick Lung Association.
Full details about the province’s path to Green are available online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.