Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health in New Brunswick, delivers a COVID-19 update on May 4, 2021. (Image: Government of New Brunswick/YouTube video capture)
New Brunswick announced four new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, in addition to expanding eligibility for the vaccine.
All four of the new cases are travel-related, and spread out across the Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, and Bathurst health zones.
There are now 141 active cases of the virus, six patients are in New Brunswick hospitals battling COVID-19, and two of those cases are in an intensive care unit.
On Tuesday, Public Health said the Edmundston region would remain at the orange level of pandemic guidelines for another week.
Expanded vaccine eligibility
The province has now opened up vaccines to anyone 50 years of age or older, as well as anyone 16 years or older with two chronic conditions.
Appointments need to be booked in advance either online at the GNB website, or through a participating pharmacy.
“If you are now eligible, I urge you to make an appointment today and don’t wait,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health. “By taking the vaccine you will be helping to save lives, prevent illness, and protect our healthcare system.”
“The best hope in preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 is to get vaccines into the arms of as many New Brunswickers as possible, as quickly as possible,” Russell added.
She announced today the province would surpass 250,000 New Brunswickers with at least one dose of a vaccine.
Public Health still aims to have a first dose available for all New Brunswickers by June, and hopes to make a second dose available within sixteen weeks of the first.
Education Minister Dominic Cardy echoed Dr. Russell’s encouragement for all New Brunswickers to get vaccinated.
He calls the vaccines ‘a miracle of modern science,’ saying last year health officials were estimating it could take up to five years before a single vaccine would be developed.
“Now we have a portfolio of vaccines available to NBers for free today that will put an end to this misery of the last year and a bit, as we’ve endured isolation, lockdowns, economic damage, devastation to families, unnecessary deaths,” Cardy said.
Mentioning the two recent deaths at a long term care home in Grand Falls, Cardy added that getting vaccinated is the best way to protect ‘the most vulnerable in our society.’
Cardy spoke directly to the employees of long-term care homes, where the province recently estimated fewer than 60 per cent of employees were vaccinated despite being a priority group, imploring them to get their shots.
“I want to call on any long-term care workers who have not yet received their vaccine to consider the lives of the people you care for each and every day, not abstract Facebook pages filled with conspiracies and foolishness,” he said.
Outbreak at UNB Fredericton
The outbreak at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton campus, centralized around Magee House, has now been linked to 13 cases.
Staff and students are now able to access the campus after it was shut down for precautionary reasons for a few days last week.
Residents of Magee House and the Elizabeth Parr-Johnston are being tested once again, and the isolation order will be lifted sometime Wednesday if no further positive cases are discovered.
George St. Middle School resumes classes
Most staff and students were able to return to George Street Middle School following a confirmed case that was discovered last week.
Around 900 people were believed to be isolating for a full week, including the families of students as a result of that case.
There are still a few close contacts of the confirmed case that will continue to self isolate.
“I want to thank everyone who stepped up, took part in the testing programs, and a special shoutout to the staff, teachers especially, and all the folks who work as EAs and support staff in our middle schools,” said Cardy.
