Maritime Provinces Impose New Restrictions As Omicron Spreads
SAINT JOHN — All three Maritime provinces announced strict new public health measures on December 21.
As the Omicron Covid-19 variant rips through the region, provincial governments are limiting gatherings and forcing businesses to reduce capacities.
Prince Edward Island has also tightened restrictions at its border, once again forcing anyone who enters the province from somewhere else to self-isolate for a period of days after arrival.
New Brunswick Enters ‘Level 2’
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs announced today his province will enter Level 2 of its Winter Action Plan at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 27.
Higgs said the move is in response to the exponential spread of the virus in Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Maine.
“We are announcing the move to Level 2 today because we know that this change will have an impact on both people and businesses and we want to give everyone time to prepare,” Higgs said during a Covid-19 briefing.
New measures include limiting household contacts to a “steady 10,” as well as changes to operating capacity and physical distancing.
Restaurants, salons, spas, and entertainment centres, capacity cannot exceed 50 percent, and physical distancing must be enforced, including the use of barriers.
Businesses, organizations, and event spaces must operate at 50 percent capacity to a maximum of 150 people.
More details about the measures are available here.
New Brunswick Public Health announced 156 new Covid-19 cases on December 21. With 157 people recovering from the disease, the province has 1,268 active cases.
Covid-19-related hospitalizations remain “steady,” at 41.
New Testing Strategy In N.S. As Province Struggles To Keep Up
In Nova Scotia, where Omicron is spreading the furthest and fastest, the provincial government imposed similar restrictions.
Premier Tim Houston announced a slew of new measures that will go into effect on December 22 at 6 p.m. They include a gathering limit of 10 people from the same household or group and a moratorium on in-person events like festivals or shows.
Most businesses must also operate at 50 percent capacity. Restaurants and bars must also stop dine-in service by 11 p.m. and close by midnight.
Nova Scotia also expanded its vaccine booster program to anyone older than 50 and shrunk the required window between second and third doses.
More details about Nova Scotia’s new restrictions are available here.
As the province struggles to keep up with Covid-19 testing it is also changing its testing policy.
PCR testing is now limited, with a few exceptions, to people with Covid-19 symptoms and their close contacts, Anyone else is being asked to use rapid tests.
Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, says the changes do not come easily.
“We have built our pandemic response with a key component of testing, but Omicron and the challenges it’s presenting is forcing us the change our approach,” says Strang. “We do not have an unlimited supply of rapid test kits. We are working rapidly to get as much as we can but it’s not unlimited.”
On Tuesday, the province announced another record case count, with 522 new Covid-19 cases. There are nine people in the hospital with Covid-19 related illnesses.
P.E.I. Tightens Border Restrictions
Meanwhile, P.E.I. today announced new restrictions for anyone entering the island.
As of 8 a.m. December 22, anyone arriving from outside the province must isolate for four days. They will be issued tests to be done on days two and four.
P.E.I. premier Dennis King said the measure is necessary because most Covid-19 cases in the province are still coming from “importation.”
P.E.I. recorded 29 new Covid-19 cases on December 21. There are 112 active cases in the province.
Tara Clow, Robert Lothian and Jakob Postlewaite of Acadia News contributed reporting to this story.