As the Delta variant tightens its grip on New Brunswick, the province is reinstating its state of emergency and bringing back a number of new measures as it reported another record-breaking case count.
Since Thursday, 78 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 and three people have died: a person in their 70s and a person in their 80s in Zone 1 and a person aged 90 and older in Zone 4.
Thirty-one people are hospitalized and 15 people are in ICU.
“It is unfortunate to return to a state of emergency, however, it is necessary. Our province must take these steps now,” said Premier Blaine Higgs in a news conference Friday, adding that it is hospitalizations, not case numbers, that are the “trigger” for the emergency order.
“We need all New Brunswickers to take urgent action, regardless of vaccination status, to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The state of emergency will come into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday night and will be reviewed every two weeks, said Higgs.
The state of emergency includes the following restrictions:
- People must limit their contacts to their household plus 20 consistent contacts.
- Indoor private gatherings will be limited to 20 consistent contacts.
- There will be no limits on outdoor gatherings, as long as physical distancing is maintained.
- Businesses and events where people gather or exercise, including museums, cinemas, theatres, bingo halls, casinos, amusement centres, arenas, game rooms, pools halls, live entertainment venues, weddings, funerals, gyms, yoga studios and similar venues must ensure all employees are fully vaccinated or are continuously masked and tested regularly. Patrons and participants entering such events remain required to be fully vaccinated.
- Physical distancing is required at businesses, services or events where proof of vaccination is not required, such as grocery and retail stores, private businesses and libraries.
- Faith venues have the option to either ensure all participants show proof of full vaccination, or implement the following measures:
- operate at 50 per cent capacity;
- maintain physical distancing;
- ensure continuous mask use;
- record names of all attendees or have assigned seating;
- eliminate singing from services; and
- prevent anyone displaying COVID-19 symptoms and those who have been instructed to self-isolate from entering.
Higgs said the state of emergency comes into effect when there are 25 or more people hospitalized and will be lifted when the number drops to 10 or lower.
These measures are in addition to restrictions announced earlier this week, which include people showing proof of vaccination for attending certain events and businesses, mandatory indoor masking for all public spaces, and the need for people to pre-register through the New Brunswick Travel Registration Program before entering the provinces.
The province also announced on Thursday that it will begin offering a third dose of an mRNA vaccine to certain groups of immunocompromised people.
Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said over the last week the province has seen an average of 67 new cases and one new hospitalization each day.
“It is clear that our current situation is very serious,” she said.
“Without further action, we will see an even greater number of cases in the coming weeks, and even more New Brunswickers requiring hospital care.”
Delta has ‘no intention of leaving’
Mathieu Chalifoux, lead COVID-19 epidemiologist with Public Health, told journalists during a technical briefing earlier in the afternoon that each new reported case is generating another 1.5 cases, on average.
“While we’ve seen this level of growth before, we certainly have not seen it in such a sustained manner throughout the entire province,” he noted.
Chalifoux said Delta is now the predominant variant in the province and warned that it was now more important than ever to try to curb its spread.
“It will enter through your home and it will go through a cycle where it spreads from your household to the events you attend,” he said.
“From the person to the child, to the school, to the workplace, and everywhere in between … It is with us, and it has no intention of leaving.”
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