New Brunswick Pandemic Updates

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Currently, 25.2 per cent of New Brunswickers 12 and older are fully vaccinated. A record number of more than 13,000 second doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered to New Brunswickers on Thursday, June 24.

“I am so pleased to see the increasing number of New Brunswickers being vaccinated with both doses,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “Immunizers and clinic staff across New Brunswick have been reporting record numbers of doses administered this week. They’re hard at work helping New Brunswickers get the maximum protection from COVID-19 and its variants and I want to thank them and all New Brunswickers for doing their part in working towards our path to Green.”

The number of first doses administered also continues to increase. To date, 77 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received their first dose.

Over the past seven days, more than 73,600 first and second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across the province and more than 91,000 people have booked appointments for a Vitalité or Horizon health network clinic. This does not account for those who have booked appointments through a pharmacy.

All eligible New Brunswickers can book their second dose appointments if at least 28 days has passed since their first appointment.

New Brunswickers who received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged to book an appointment for their second through a participating pharmacy or at a Vitalité or Horizon health network clinic.

To receive their second dose, New Brunswickers are asked to bring a signed consent form, their Medicare card and a copy of the record of immunization provided after receiving their first dose.

If you received Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech the first time, you can book an appointment for either vaccine for your second dose. They work the same way and have similar levels of safety and effectiveness.

If you received the AstraZeneca vaccine the first time and are under the age of 55, it is recommended that you receive an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) as your second dose, unless informed otherwise. If you are 55 or older, you can receive a second dose of AstraZeneca or of an mRNA vaccine.

People who received AstraZeneca both times can rest assured that the vaccine provides protection against infection, severe disease and hospitalization.

Public Health is also reminding New Brunswickers to keep a copy of their Record of Immunization form as their official proof of vaccination.

One new case

Public Health is reporting one new case of COVID-19 today.

The one case in Zone 6 (Bathurst region) is an individual 30-39. This case is travel related.

The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 2,323. Since yesterday, three people have recovered for a total of 2,239 recoveries. There have been 45 deaths, and the number of active cases is 38. Four patients are hospitalized in New Brunswick, including one in an intensive care unit. Yesterday, 503 tests were conducted for a total of 359,801.

Exposure notifications

Public Health follows a standard process when addressing instances where the public may have been exposed to a case of COVID-19. In cases where record-keeping can identify anyone who may have been exposed, officials contact these individuals directly and do not issue a separate announcement. In cases where officials cannot be certain of exactly who may have been exposed to the virus in a given location, Public Health issues an announcement to alert those who could have been affected and provides instructions.

Public Health has identified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious while on the following flights:

• Air Canada Flight 404 – from Toronto to Montreal, departed at 8:30 a.m. on June 18.
• Air Canada Flight 8902 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 12:45 p.m. on June 18.

Public Health is now offering COVID-19 testing for all New Brunswickers who have been in a public exposure area, even if they are not experiencing any symptoms. Residents may request a test online or call Tele-Care 811 to get an appointment at the nearest screening centre.

Reminder of Yellow level

All zones are in the Yellow level under the province’s mandatory order. New Brunswick is in Phase 2 on the path to Green.