Most New Brunswickers are eager to reach the green phase, which is expected to happen once 75 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are vaccinated against COVID-19.
But will masks still be required?
The World Health organization is currently encouraging even those who are vaccinated to continue wearing masks, due to a rise in the Delta COVID-19 variant.
New Brunswick’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell says currently the situation in the province is quite stable, “Very keen to continue to vaccinate our population and get as many people vaccinated with two doses as possible, but certainly our data is what has been driving most of our decisions in terms of when we make policy decisions to protect the population of new Brunswick. So we’ll continue to monitor that.”
Health Minister Dorothy Shephard says some people will see the benefits of masks, “Past seasons, many of us have spent money on preventative measures for getting colds and flu and quite frankly, we’ve seen ho inexpensive a mask is and washing our hands has been and keeping our distance from each other has really prevented influenza.”
She says there was only one case of the flu in New Brunswick last year.