Fredericton’s mayor says it’s “very disappointing” but “understandable” that southern New Brunswick has joined the Edmundston region, being reverted to the “red phase” of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
He’s calling on everyone to follow Public Health guidance, hoping for a return to the “orange phase” as soon as possible.
“Public Health officials have led us well so far,” Mike O’Brien says in an interview.
He notes municipal services are already impacted by the change in alert levels.
“We just got back to having our arenas back open with certain regulations, our indoor pools, our outdoor winter skating rinks. They’re all closed right now,” O’Brien says.
And on top of that, city bus capacity will be slashed again.
“Our transit system was just back to almost normal,” he says. “Now, we have to go to nine passengers maximum.”
Buses were at full capacity with mandatory mask-wearing, says Wayne Knorr, a City of Fredericton spokesperson.
The business impact will be felt too, says John Wishart, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton.
The impact will be more significant on businesses forced to close in the red level, such as hairdressers, gyms, spas and event venues.
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But Wishart says the total toll depends on how long the red phase lasts.
“If it’s a couple of weeks, I think most businesses that we’ve talked to said, ‘OK, we’ll take another hit,’ knowing that the vaccine is starting to be deployed, and that there is some light, maybe in the far distance, not near term,” Wishart says. “It’s kind of a catch-22. We seem like we’re getting closer to getting on the other side of the pandemic.”
Retail stores can remain open, but Wishart says foot traffic will be a challenge with stay-at-home messaging.
He’s hoping online sales for retail shops — and delivery or takeout for restaurants — will help address short-term concerns.
Meanwhile, the health-care system is also feeling the move. The no-visitor policy remains in place, with a few exceptions.
Both health networks say non-urgent procedures and elective surgeries could be cancelled, but you’re asked to show up for your appointment, unless the hospitals tell you otherwise.
The Horizon Health Network and the Vitalite Health Network are asking you to avoid the ER if at all possible.
Geri Geldart, vice-president clinical for the Horizon Health Network, said in a statement that Horizon will maintain as many services and surgeries as possible during the red alert level.
While only two people are hospitalized with COVID-19, all Horizon hospitals are near, or over, capacity, according to numbers provided to Global News Wednesday afternoon.
The Moncton Hospital – 88 per cent
Saint John Regional Hospital – 96 per cent
Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (Fredericton) – 92 per cent
Upper River Valley Hospital – 102 per cent
Miramichi Regional Hospital – 87 per cent
“Hospital occupancy rates are an indicator of the combined impact of multiple factors, including, for example, the number of scheduled surgeries on a given day, Emergency Department admissions, the number of patients designated Alternate Level of Care (ALC) and more,” Geldart said in a statement.
“Occupancy rates reflect the demand on the system and our efforts to manage the appropriate use of the facility.”
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