New Brunswick is changing its self-isolation rules to address household transmission of COVID-19 in the province.
In a briefing Thursday, Premier Blaine Higgs announced that beginning Friday at 6 p.m., everyone — including people who are fully vaccinated — must self-isolate for 14 days if someone from their household tests positive for COVID-19.
Higgs said he is trying a new tactic after circuit breaker measures did not have the desired impact in Zone 1, the Moncton region. That area has been in a circuit breaker with heightened restrictions for the past six weeks, but case counts there continues to be high.
“Rather than penalize everyone, we are focusing on key areas of concern,” he said.
“And that is why we are implementing a targeted measure, province-wide, to address where we are seeing the virus spread.”
Higgs said much of the COVID-19 spread continues to be within households.
Under the new rules, people who are fully vaccinated can get a PCR test on their fifth day and leave self-isolation if it’s negative. A negative PCR test will be required on the 10th day.
“We recognize that even though you’ve been vaccinated, you can still be a carrier, you can still transmit to someone else,” he said.
“So if someone in your household tests positive, and you’re connected with that person and you’ve had exposure, you need to ensure that you, too, don’t become someone who’s transmitting it to someone else.”
Those who violate the self-isolation rules can face fines between $480 and $20,400.
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As well, the province is lifting circuit breaker measures in Zones 1 and 7 beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
“We have to find a balance between what we think of is back to normal, and living with the COVID-19 virus,” he said.
Vaccination deadline looms
The premier also noted that Friday is the deadline for public sector workers in the province to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We want to be sure that government employees have a healthy and safe workplace,” he said.
“At the end of the day tomorrow, any employee who is not fully vaccinated, who has not received one dose and has confirmed an appointment for a second dose, will be sent home without pay.”
He said there will be “very, very few exceptions” to this rule.
Higgs said the “vast majority” of government employees are fully vaccinated or have received at least one dose and the number of unvaccinated employees are “very low.”
In government departments, 2.9 per cent of workers — or 307 people — are unvaccinated. That number is 4.1 per cent, or 792 people, in school districts; 3.4 per cent, or 734 people, working in regional health or Medavie; and 2.5 per cent, or 162 people, working for Crown corporations.
Higgs said there have been “enormous improvements” in public sector vaccination rates since the mandate was announced.
“Initially, nearly 10 per cent of employees throughout the government were not vaccinated, and now we are down to just over 3 per cent,” he said.
“We are still hopeful that these remaining employees will choose to get their vaccinations, but in the meantime, we must protect all of those working here at the government of New Brunswick.”
72 new cases
New Brunswick reported 72 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. According to Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, that’s above the rolling seven-day average of 60 cases per day.
Twenty-eight people are currently in hospital, 14 of whom are in ICU.
Russell said 71 people have recovered and there are now 566 active cases.
According to the province, 87 per cent of eligible people have been fully vaccinated and more than 93 per cent have received their first dose.
Booster doses are available to a number of different groups, including residents of First Nations communities, health-care personnel, people 65 and older, and people who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
A full list of eligible groups is available online.
The 32 new cases in Zone 1 (Moncton region) are as follows:
- 16 people 19 and under;
- four people 20-29;
- four people 30-39;
- four people 40-49;
- two people 50-59;
- a person 60-69; and
- a person 70-79.
Twenty-three cases are under investigation and nine cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.
The 13 new cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region) are as follows:
- six people 19 and under;
- two people 30-39;
- two people 40-49;
- two people 50-59; and
- a person 60-69.
Seven cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and six cases are under investigation.
The 21 cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) are as follows:
- a person 19 and under;
- two people 20-29;
- three people 30-39;
- six people 40-49;
- four people 50-59; and
- five people 60-69.
Sixteen cases are under investigation and five are contacts of previously confirmed cases.
The six new cases in Zone 7 (Miramichi region) are as follows:
- a person 19 and under;
- three people 30-39;
- a person 40-49; and
- a person 60-69.
Four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and two cases are under investigation.
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