MONCTON, N.B. -- New Brunswick businesses in areas experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks are feeling the effects of the second wave.
Some have been forced to close their doors again, and not everyone thinks the move back to the orange warning level is fair.
Dark storefronts and "closed" signs were scattered throughout Moncton Wednesday after a slew of businesses were forced to shutter for the second time since the pandemic began.
"It was completely out of our control. There was nothing else that we could do," said gym co-owner Mandy McLean. "We have done everything we could and yet we were still not allowed to open."
When Zones 1 and 5 were ordered back to the orange phase on Friday, fitness centres and salons were among some of the industries forced to close.
"It's the unknown," McLean said. "How long are we going to be closed for, how many people are going to try something else, how many people are going to get used to doing other things?"
Dieppe salon owner Saly Davis also had to turn away clients after the order was made -- a decision she doesn't agree with.
"I was incredibly disgusted and disappointed to find out that not very many other industries were affected," Davis said. "So my question then became, why is it that of all the industries, including ones with close contact, why is it that our industry is going to be affected?"
While she's trying to remain optimistic, McLean says the future of her fitness centre could be in jeopardy.
"It’s going to be a struggle absolutely and I think as owners, we're going to try our best to make it happen, but I’m not sure," McLean said. "It really depends on how long this is going to go on for too."
It's a question that even health officials can't answer at the moment.
