MONCTON -- The Canadian Red Cross is currently helping New Brunswick with new quarantine rules that came into effect Saturday night.
On Friday, the province announced the new rules that require individuals entering the province to isolate in a hotel for the first seven days of their mandatory 14-day isolation.
Travellers are required to get a COVID-19 test on their fifth day of stay in New Brunswick. Public health says if the test returns negative, the individual can continue the rest of their isolation elsewhere.
Effective at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, the following groups of people are now required to isolate in a hotel for the first seven days of their arrival:
- All leisure and non-essential travellers
- Every person approved to move to New Brunswick
- All business travellers who are not rotational workers, truckers, or commuters
"This rule applies regardless of whether or not the traveller has been vaccinated," said Higgs. "Isolation hotels will be located in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, Miramichi, Bathurst, Campbellton, and Woodstock."
The Canadian Red Cross is coordinating the mandatory hotel isolations, as well as helping with meals, attending to medical needs, and provide 24/7 security.
"Number one is to register with the province and once you've been approved, move on to step number two," said Allie Murchison with the Canadian Red Cross. "Step two is to book the hotel. You can book it online and book it that way, or call our 1-800 number."
Murchison says so far, the Red Cross has had 25 people register to isolate in one of the seven designated hotels across New Brunswick.
"Luckily, there are a lot of people who want to move to New Brunswick at this point in time so, we are seeing people calling to inquire about what they can do and how to register," explained Murchison.
Marc Dionne is the general manager of the Hyatt Place Moncton – one of the seven designated hotels on the list.
"We're getting phone calls from different parts of the country– from Alberta, Quebec and from Ontario," said Dionne. "We're getting calls from them for students, call for accommodating the quarantine."
On Monday, New Brunswick reported seven new COVID-19 cases.
Fifteen of the province's previously reported cases are now considered resolved, with the total number of active infections dropping to 122.