Since March, we’ve been pretty much in the same direction as the other provinces and it’s pretty stable. That’s what we thought would happen
said Dr. Jennifer Russell on Tuesday.
New Brunswick lifted its health restrictions on March 14.
In its most recent weekly update on Tuesday, the province reports that 23 new people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past week. At the time of publishing the data, 27 people were hospitalized in the province (since some people stay in hospital for a long time).
One person has died from COVID-19 in a week, bringing the toll to 422 since the start of the pandemic.
The number of new infections has dropped significantly in recent weeks in New Brunswick. In the most recent update, 842 people tested positive for a screening test.
However, it is important to note that access to screening tests is restricted in the province and that, in the case of rapid tests, it is up to each person to report a positive result. For these reasons, the number of new infections is probably greatly underestimated.
Two simultaneous waves in the fall?
In recent years, fall and winter have been tough times, marked by spikes in COVID-19 cases and new waves. We monitor the appearance of new variants
to dit the Dre Russell.
In addition to COVID-19, New Brunswick must also prepare for a major flu wave, according to the chief medical officer of health. She fears that in the fall, the province will be hit by simultaneous waves of the flu and COVID-19.
This situation might be difficult to manage in hospitals.
The risks are going to be higher for the flu. All the measures we put in place for COVID also protected once morest the flu, but here we have less protection because the policies have changed, so that gives the flu a chance
she explains.
The flu already very present in N.-B.
In some parts of the world, including Australia, the number of flu cases increased so fast and so high, because we were protecting people from COVID, but also from the flu.
In New Brunswick, flu cases are already particularly high for the time of year.
Even here in New Brunswick, we are seeing an increase in flu cases over the past four weeks and that is not normal because the flu season should be over at this time, that worries me. too.
The 2nd booster dose not offered to the youngest
Vaccination rates have not increased much since health restrictions were lifted in mid-March.
Public health continues to hammer that this is the best way to protect once morest the serious effects of the virus, because six months following the second dose, the protection decreases
.
In New Brunswick, the second booster dose is only offered to people aged 50 and over and those living in vulnerable settings.
Dr. Jennifer Russell confirms that there are no plans to offer this fourth dose to the youngest, at this time, in accordance with the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
In total, 93.2% of the population received a first dose of the vaccine once morest COVID-19, 88.1% received a second dose and 52.6% received at least one booster dose.
With information by Pascal Raiche-Nogue
