New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says areas of the province outside Zone 5 (the Campbellton region) will move forward on the province’s COVID-19 and economic recovery road map on Friday.
The majority of the province will progress to the second phase of the “Yellow level”, while Zone 5 remains in the Orange.
Zone 5 saw another confirmed case announced Thursday, a healthcare worker in their 20s employed at Manoir de la Vallée.
Daniel Oullette, the first New Brunswicker to die of COVID-19 was a resident at that same longterm care facility.
READ MORE: First New Brunswick COVID-19 death involves resident at Atholville long-term care home
Zone 5 extends from Whites Brook to the Village of Belledune, including Tide Head, Atholville, Campbellton, Dalhousie, Eel River Dundee, Eel River Bar First Nation, Balmoral, Charlo and Belledune.
While it remains in the “Orange level”, a two-household bubble is permitted and non-regulated health professionals/businesses and personal services businesses (hairstylists, tattoo artists, etc.) cannot operate.
Elsewhere in the province, a move to the second phase of the “Yellow level” means the expansion of household bubbles and the reopening of a host of businesses.
According to the Province, as of June 5 the following will be allowed:
- Household bubbles can be extended to close friends and family. Indoor gatherings in private homes maintained at 10 or fewer.
- Non-regulated health professionals and businesses can open, including acupuncturists and naturopaths.
- Personal service businesses can open, including barbers, hairstylists, spas, estheticians, manicurists, pedicurists, and tattoo artists.
- Outdoor gatherings with distancing of 50 or fewer, indoors for religious services now allowed.
- An increase in elective surgeries and other non-emergency health care services.
- Outdoor visitation with physical distancing in long-term care facilities.
- Swimming pools, saunas and waterparks subject to the gathering limit of 50 for any separate area, pool or feature.
- Gyms, yoga and dance studios.
- Rinks and indoor recreational facilities subject to the gathering limit of 50 for a separate area or spectators.
- Pool halls and bowling alleys.
- Low-contact team sports.
Higgs says areas of the province outside of Zone 5 remain on track to further loosen restrictions on June 19, when it’s expected that the following will be allowed to reopen:
- Overnight camps under daycare guidance.
- Indoor visitation for long-term care facilities with controls.
- Canadian residents, if they own property in NB and will self-isolate 14 days.
- Canadian residents, if they have immediate family in NB (parent, child, sibling, grandchild, grandparent, significant other) and will self-isolate 14 days.
Through the “Yellow level” unnecessary travel into New Brunswick is still not allowed, with anyone entering the province expected to answer questions and seld-isolate for 14 days.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus.
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