New Brunswick to lift remaining COVID-19 restrictions, but experts warn of relapse
As New Brunswick prepares to drop virtually all of its COVID-19 restrictions Friday night, some infectious disease experts are warning the province should prepare for a surge in cases this fall because of the highly contagious Delta variant.
Allison McGeer, an infectious disease physician with the Sinai Health System in Toronto, says she is sympathetic to Premier Blaine Higgs' decision to loosen health protection measures -- including mask wearing -- given the fact that case numbers in New Brunswick remain low.
McGeer, however, says it is clear the Delta variant is on the move in British Columbia, Alberta and much of the United States, where the U.S. Centers for Disease Control now says fully vaccinated Americans should go back to wearing masks in indoor public spaces in regions where the virus is spreading rapidly.
McGeer says she has no problem with easing restrictions in Atlantic Canada -- where case numbers remain low -- so long as residents understand that mask wearing and other protection measures will likely be reimposed in the fall.
Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist, says he supports New Brunswick's plan to drop most health protection measures, but he stressed the plan will fail unless the province maintains mandatory mask wearing in indoor public spaces.
Furness, a professor at the University of Toronto, says once New Brunswickers start sharing indoor air without wearing masks, a fourth wave of infections is sure to be driven by the Delta variant.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.