Key takeaways:
- For the second day in a row, COVID-19-related hospitalizations in New Brunswick have set a new high.
- On Monday, New Brunswickers aged 18 and up who received their second dose at least five months ago will be able to receive their booster dose.
- Shephard stated that if the province deems it “necessary” and Public Health agrees, the province will move to Level 3.
COVID-19-related hospitalizations in New Brunswick have placed a new record for the second day in a row.
As of Saturday, Public Health reported 80 people in hospitals, 11 from Friday.
Seventeen people are in critical condition, with 11 on ventilators.
There has been a new death reported.
Based on PCR lab tests, there are 421 new COVID-19 cases reserved for vulnerable populations. The positivity rate is 17.9%, based on over 2,300 tests conducted.
According to Public Health, new PCR-confirmed cases and “other data updates” will be accessible only on the province’s COVID-19 dashboard beginning Saturday and will not be included in future press coverage.
Also read: 779 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in NB. New testing procedures went into effect
Beginning Monday, all adults will be able to receive booster doses.
New Brunswickers aged 18 and up who received their 2nd dose at least five months ago will be able to get their booster dose from Monday.
Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard formed the announcement at a press conference yesterday.
Pregnant women were also given immediate access to their boosters.
Russell implored the public to get vaccinated as hospitalizations and cases in the province continue to rise.
“The health-care system is likely to be tested like never before in the coming weeks,” Shephard said at the briefing.
While the province chose not to move to the more restrictive Level 3 winter plan, Russell said it isn’t out of the question.
Shephard stated that the province would not hesitate to move to Level 3 if it deems it “necessary” and if Public Health agrees.
Social gatherings would’ve been limited to single-household bubbles, no public meetings would be allowed, restaurants would be takeout only, non-essential retail would be lowered to no-contact pickup or delivery only, gyms, salons, as well as entertainment centers would be shut, and faith services might only be allowed outdoors or virtually under Level 3.
A hospital in Edmundston is experiencing an outbreak.
As per Dr. John Tobin, who heads the family medicine department at Edmunston Regional Hospital, thirty employees, including four doctors, tested positive and isolated.
“The teams are overworked,” Tobin said in a Saturday interview with Radio-Canada.
He did say, yet, that the condition is stable. “We can still function with what we have right now,” he said.
According to Tobin, there are 16 people in the hospital’s COVID-19 unit, three on ventilators.
The Vitalité Health Network said Friday that admissions to the hospital would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
As per the news release, patients with appointments can come to the hospital on their planned day and time. Vitalité will contact patients whose appointments should be rescheduled.
The emergency room is still open, but visitors are asked to limit their visits to those who require immediate attention.
Source: CTV News
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