Parts of the Saint John health region (Zone 2) will enter a circuit breaker as health officials are concerned about growing COVID-19 cases.
Beginning Friday at 6 p.m., areas of Zone 2 will enter a two-week circuit breaker.
The impacted areas include New River Beach and Lepreau, north to the communities of Clarendon and Welsford, east to the community of Head of Millstream, and all communities in Saint John and Kings counties.
“We have also added a circuit breaker to most of Zone 2 because this area currently has the highest positivity rate in the province,” Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said in a news release.
The circuit breaker will remain in place for another seven days for the Moncton region (Zone 1), including Sainte-Anne-de-Kent and including Havelock in Zone 2; the northern portion of Zone 3 from and including Deerville and Florenceville-Bristol, however, excludes Hayesville and Parker Ridge; all of the Edmundston region (Zone 4); and all of Campbellton region (Zone 5).
Details of the circuit breaker restrictions can be found here.
69 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths
New Brunswick Public Health reported 69 new cases of COVID-19, and two virus-related deaths.
This brings the total amount of virus-related deaths in the province to 114.
The active caseload now stands at 549 after 51 recoveries.
That includes 26 cases in the Saint John region, 23 cases in the Moncton zone, and seven in the Fredericton area.
There are also five cases in the Edmundston region, five in the Campbellton zone, two in the Bathurst area, and one in the Miramichi zone.
Of the new cases, 62 per cent are unvaccinated, three per cent are partially vaccinated, and 35 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Public Health said 31 people are being treated in hospital, with 16 in an intensive care unit.
Eighteen of those in hospital are unvaccinated, two are partially vaccinated, and 11 are fully vaccinated.
Halloween guidelines
Public Health recently released some guidelines for trick-or-treaters and those handing out the goods.
The guidelines are a bit different depending on whether or not you are in one of New Brunswick’s circuit breaker zones.
It is recommended that trick-or-treaters in non-circuit breaker areas only travel with their single household plus 20 consistent contacts.
In circuit breaker areas, travelling for trick-or-treating is limited to your single household only, which means no groups of trick-or-treaters from more than one household.
Community masks must also be worn in circuit breaker areas when you are unable to maintain a distance of at least two metres.
People who are handing out treats should provide them through touchless means, sanitize their hands between visitors, and try to frequently disinfect high-touch areas.
“Do not permit children to take candy from a bowl of treats unless the treats are arranged so that children will not touch other treats when they take their own. Individual treat bags are a good option,” said a news release.
Officials said it is also a good idea to limit your trick-or-treating to one neighbourhood and keep track of where you are going.
Trick-or-treaters should wash their hands before heading out and upon returning home, and parents should keep hand sanitizer with them to keep their child’s hands clean.
If you or someone in your home is in a higher risk group, you can choose to put a sign on your door such as “Have a Happy and Safe Halloween: No Visitors Please.”
COVID-19 booster shots
The list of New Brunswickers eligible for a COVID-19 booster expands on Monday.
Education staff and people age 65 and older will be able to roll up their sleeves a third time.
The province says six months must have passed since your last dose.
Recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine can also book their booster, but the province says these individuals must wait 28 days after their last dose.
New Brunswick health officials also say a plan to immunize children is in the works.
Health Canada is reviewing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for youth aged five to 11.
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