OUTBREAK IN FREDERICTON REHAB CENTRE
Horizon Health has declared an outbreak at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in Fredericton, after an employee at the neurological rehabilitation facility tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. In a press release, Horizon said the outbreak is being declared, “as this is a high-risk situation,”
Rapid testing was conducted at the centre on Sunday, with all patients who had potential exposure testing negative for COVID-19.
Horizon says all affected patients have been isolated, all staff will be tested for COVID-19, and active screening for symptoms will begin Monday.
Visitors are restricted at the centre and scheduled appointments are cancelled until further notice.
WEEKEND CASE NUMBERS
Over the weekend, New Brunswick announced 29 new cases of COVID-19. 23 cases were announced on Saturday, and 6 on Sunday.
In Zone 1, the southeast region, which includes Sackville and Tantramar, there were six new cases on Saturday, and no new cases reported on Sunday.
The southeast region now has 32 active cases of COVID-19.
In the Saint John region, active case numbers more than doubled on Saturday. The region went from 14 to 30 cases in a single day. On Sunday, 5 more new cases were reported, bringing the active total to 35.
There are 70 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. Provincial stats say there are 61 cases under investigation, however Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell says that all cases have been traced back to an index case for the cluster they are in, and she has not confirmed any community transmission of the disease.
PLAN AHEAD FOR SELF-ISOLATION, SAYS RUSSELL
On Friday, Russell said upwards of 600 people in the province have been asked to self-isolate, and she encouraged everyone to have a self-isolation plan in place.
“If you are asked to self isolate, please do so immediately,” said Russell. “Don’t make any last trips to the grocery store or to the pharmacy. Ask a neighbour or a family member to do your errands for you. Make a contingency plan now, so that you are ready if you need to self isolate.”
EXPLAINING THE CHANGES TO ORANGE
Both the southeast and Saint John regions are under orange level restrictions, which this time around includes a single household bubble, and no outright business closures. On Friday and Saturday, Russell answered questions about why personal contact restrictions have been tightened, while restrictions on public activities have not.
“We’re getting better and better each time in terms of understanding how to target our approach, in terms of managing the risks,” said Russell. “In the first wave when everything was in the red phase and locked down, it was like dropping a big bomb everywhere and kind of wiping everything out, just to get through that phase. We want to be much, much more targeted in our approach right now,” she said. “To do the things that we know will help immediately, that we know will help get us back into the yellow phase as soon as possible. And that is our goal.”
Premier Blaine Higgs said the government has been working to make sure businesses don’t need to close. In response to a question about supports for businesses suffering in the upcoming holiday season, Premier Blaine Higgs said, “that’s why we have tried so hard and will continue to try so hard to keep businesses open.”
“We believe their biggest opportunity for successes is to keep the doors open,” said Higgs. “Having said that, the ones that do stay open through this orange face are going to need to follow the rules. We will enforce the rules because because we must.”
“But I’m confident that the businesses will see an upswing,” said Higgs. “We’ve asked local citizens to support businesses, you know, going out to shop but doing it safely. And I’m confident we can do that.”
Higgs also said the province would be stepping up enforcement, with public safety officers checking businesses for compliance, issuing tickets, and shutting down businesses that are non-compliant.
THE NEW ORANGE RULES
The orange phase order for Zones 1 and 2 comes with some changes.
Residents are being asked to maintain a one household bubble this time around, which may include caregivers and immediate family members requiring support.
Hairdressers, spas, and unregulated health professionals are allowed to remain open this time, as long protocols are in place.
Gyms and fitness facilities are allowed to remain open, but with some enhanced protocols, and sports teams may practice, but only with their own team members.
As with previous orange phase rules, schools remain open, under their operational plans, and day camps are allowed.
Wearing face masks is now mandatory in outdoor as well as indoor public spaces. A mask is not required while walking, jogging or cycling with people in the same bubble, as long as contact with others is unlikely.
RESULTS MAY TAKE TIME
On Saturday, Russell said that the measures in place may take some time to show results. She pointed out the last outbreak in the Campbellton region took four weeks to get under control, and the last outbreak in the southeast took two weeks.
“The cases we are reporting today are the result of infections that happened up to two weeks ago,” said Russell. “Even if we all change our behaviours immediately, we may not see the full result of our efforts for another two weeks.”
“But it is very, very important that everybody changes their behaviours immediately so that we can stem the tide of COVID-19 that is now on the rise.”