A mass testing clinic is being held this week in Edmundston, as the New Brunswick city by the Quebec border sees a rise in COVID-19 cases.
New Brunswick reported 12 new cases Wednesday, with 10 of them in Edmundston.
“We’re quite concerned because it is the variant,” Dr. Jennifer Russell said in an interview with The Canadian Press Wednesday.
“At this point in time we are really concerned that we have to pull out all the stops to get things under control in Zone 4,” she added, referring to the health zone that includes Edmundston.
Russell said health officials met with area mayors and members of the legislature Wednesday to discuss the outbreak.
“We are seeing rapid transmission,” she said. “We are seeing a lot of close contacts, and because of the variant being so much more transmissible, we need the contacts of close contacts to be isolating.”
It’s prompted the province to set up clinics to test asymptomatic people to help determine if there has been any further spread in the region.
Testing will be held Thursday and Friday at Saint-Basile arena from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Appointments are not needed, and tests will be conducted on a first-come-first-served basis. Testing is only for those without symptoms and who are not self-isolating.
As well, a case has been confirmed at Carrefour de la Jeunesse school in Edmundston. Contact tracing is taking place while the school, and a child-care facility within the school, is closed.
Potential exposure has also been identified at two Edmundston locations: the KFC at 180 Hébert Blvd., on March 19 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and Centre Jean-Daigle, 85 du 15 Août St., on March 21, during a hockey game of the Edmundston Blizzard which started at 3 p.m.
The 10 new cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston) are as follows:
- an individual 19 and under. This case is travel related.
- three people 30-39. Two cases are travel-related and the other is under investigation.
- an individual 40-49. This case is travel related.
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- three people 50-59. One case is a contact of a previously reported case and the other two cases are under investigation.
- an individual 60-69. This case is a contact of a previously reported case.
- an individual 70-79. This case is a contact of a previously reported case.
The other two cases reported in the province were in Moncton — one aged 39-39 and the other aged 40-49. Both of those cases are under investigation.
Vaccination rollout continues
This comes as several pharmacies in the Moncton area started administering shots Wednesday after receiving their first doses.
“It’s going to be a long journey over the next six months of vaccinating people,” said Harrisville Pharmacy Owner Andrew Drover. “But it feels like it’s the beginning of the end.”
Thede Smith’s father received his first dose Wednesday; a relief for his family.
“He’s 85 years old and he’s been waiting for this,” Smith said. “Just to give him a little bit of comfort. Relief for me, and him too. His sisters both got it last week in Nova Scotia.”
Residents at Peoples Park Tower in Moncton, an independent living retirement residence, also attended a clinic Wednesday. A pharmacist from the Medicine Shoppe, the in-house pharmacy, started giving the first doses.
One of the first people to be inoculated was Evelyn McCafferty, 103, the oldest resident in the building.
“I was kind of concerned about taking it,” McCafferty said after the shot. “But as I said, I never felt it, so it doesn’t matter. Everybody should have it though.”
And McCafferty isn’t the only one hoping for the best with the vaccine.
“That is it?” Margaret McDevitt, 96, asked the pharmacist after receiving her shot. “Now we are preventing all the spread.”
“It was exciting,” McDevitt said
“I’m glad it’s over. It hasn’t hurt. And let’s hope it does the trick.”
Vaccination eligibility expands
Rotational workers, regular cross-border commuters and truck drivers are now able to book an apartment at a pharmacy.
They must bring proof of eligibility to their appointment. For truck drivers, that could include their Class 1 licence. Regular cross-border commuters can use their multi-use travel registration through the New Brunswick Travel Registration Program, and rotational workers can use their travel registration confirmation.
New groups eligible for vaccination
Meanwhile, the list of people eligible for a vaccine is growing.
Rotational workers, regular cross-border commuters and truck drivers are now able to book an apartment at a pharmacy.
They must bring proof of eligibility to their appointment. For truck drivers, that could include their Class 1 licence. Regular cross-border commuters can use their multi-use travel registration through the New Brunswick Travel Registration Program, and rotational workers can use their travel registration confirmation.
As well, New Brunswickers aged 75 and older are eligible to receive their shots at pharmacies. In those cases, a caregiver or family member are allowed to make the appointment.
Vaccination clinics for high school staff are also expanding. Schools will be closed to students on the days that clinics are held at that particular school.
Vaccination clinics in Saint John will be available for staff from the following schools on Thursday:
- Harbour View High School in Saint John
- Saint John High School
- Simonds High School in Saint John
- St. Malachy’s Memorial High School in Saint John
- Centre scolaire Samuel-de-Champlain in Saint John
Additional clinics will be held throughout the week for high school staff in the following areas:
- March 26 – Tracadie and Moncton regions;
- March 29 – Shediac, Bathurst, and Campbellton regions.
— With a file from The Canadian Press
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