News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – COVID-19 vaccination eligibility will be expanded in the province to include children aged five to 11 as soon as the special child vaccines are received.

Health Canada approved the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11 earlier today, and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended its use. Vaccine doses for children are smaller and packaged differently than adult doses.

“With the approval of the pediatric vaccine now in place, we are encouraging New Brunswickers to start having family conversations about how vaccination works and how it protects the health and well-being of our families, friends and classmates,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health.

The first doses of the pediatric vaccine are expected to arrive next week. The process for the pediatric vaccinations will be similar to the one for adults. Regional health authority community clinics and participating pharmacies will have a role to play in administering the vaccine and details will be announced next week.

“Today’s approval means we are one step closer to further protecting our children and our communities,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard. “To support parents, guardians and families, we will be supplying information and resources on vaccine safety and availability to help people make an informed decision. This will be done in the coming days.”

New isolation measures in place, circuit breaker restrictions lifted

As of 6 p.m. tonight, everyone in a household anywhere in the province with a positive case of COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, must isolate for 14 days.

Household members who are fully vaccinated will be able to leave isolation with a day five negative PCR test. A day 10 PCR test must still be taken to confirm the negative result.

Those who violate the Public Health order to self-isolate face a fine of between $480 and $20,400.

“As we have done throughout the pandemic, measures are put in place that strive to find a balance between having life as normal as possible while reducing the risk of COVID-19 cases overwhelming our hospital system,” said Russell. “Right now, a significant portion of new cases are from transmission within households, which is why we are adjusting our strategy to target that spread.”

COVID-19 circuit breaker measures in Zone 1 (Moncton region) and Zone 7 (Miramichi region) will end tonight at 6 p.m.

49 recoveries and 90 new cases

Public Health reported today that 49 people have recovered from COVID-19 and there are 90 new cases of the virus, with the number of active cases at 607. Fifty-seven of the new cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

There are 16 people in intensive care and another 12 in hospital for a total of 28 people hospitalized. No one under 19 is currently hospitalized.

The rate of people hospitalized and in ICU, as well as new cases, continues to impact people that are unvaccinated the most. Information about the rates of cases and hospitalizations based on vaccination status is available on the COVID-19 dashboard.

Vaccination update

Public Health reported today that 87.3 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 93.3 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine.

Health-care personnel – including those working in long-term care facilities – and residents of First Nations communities can now book an appointment to receive an mRNA COVID-19 booster dose if six months have passed since their second dose of a vaccine. They must bring their proof of vaccination, i.e. immunization record, to their appointment.

People 65 and older and school personnel are permitted to book an appointment to receive an mRNA COVID-19 booster dose if six months have passed since their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Fully vaccinated people who have received one or two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in their series are permitted to book an appointment to receive an mRNA booster dose if 28 days have passed since their second dose.

International travellers with mixed first two doses of vaccine products are eligible to book an appointment to receive a booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. This applies to anyone who must travel outside of North America for work, education or medical procedures. A booster dose of an mRNA vaccine will be available as long as a 28-day interval has passed since their previous dose.

A detailed list of those eligible for a booster dose is available online.

Appointments for first and second doses, as well as a booster dose for those eligible, can be scheduled for a regional health authority community COVID-19 vaccination clinic through the online booking system or at a participating pharmacy. Residents of First Nations communities can also book an appointment at a community clinic.

A list of upcoming mobile and walk-in clinics is available online.

Regional breakdown of new cases

The 45 new cases in Zone 1 (Moncton region) are as follows:

• a person 19 and under;
• three people 20-29;
• 13 people 30-39;
• eight people 40-49;
• nine people 50-59;
• eight people 60-69; and
• three people 70-79.

Thirty-four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and 11 cases are under investigation.

The 21 new cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region) are as follows:

• seven people 19 and under;
• a person 20-29;

• two people 30-39;
• a person 40-49;
• two people 50-59;
• five people 60-69;
• two people 70-79; and
• a person 90 and over.

Fifteen cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and six cases are under investigation.

The 11 new cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) are as follows:

• three people 19 and under;
• a person 20-29;
• four people 30-39;
• two people 40-49; and
• a person 50-59.

Nine cases are under investigation and two cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

The two new cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) are as follows:

• a person 30-39; and
• a person 50-59.

Both cases are under investigation

The 11 new cases in Zone 7 (Miramichi region) are as follows:

• three people 19 and under;
• a person 20-29;
• five people 30-39; and
• two people 70-79.

Six cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and five cases are under investigation.

Additional information is available on the COVID-19 dashboard.

Confirmed cases in schools and child-care facilities

Information on cases in schools is available on the Healthy and Safe Schools website and the COVID-19 dashboard.

A case has been confirmed at Daley Day Care 2 located in Zone 1 (Moncton region). A new case has also been confirmed at YMCA Afterschool - Moncton in Zone 1 which was previously impacted. Affected families have been notified. If you or a family member have been in close contact with a case, you will be notified by Public Health or the facility for contact tracing. If you are not notified directly, you have not been identified as a close contact.

Since Sept. 7, 83 early learning and child-care facilities have had confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Potential public exposures

Anyone with two or more symptoms of the virus is urged to request a test online to get an appointment.

If you have been at the site of a possible public exposure, but remain asymptomatic, you may be able to pick up a rapid-screening kit (while supplies last).

A map of potential public exposures can also be found on the COVID-19 dashboard.