At a press conference on Monday, February 8, New Brunswick Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell recommended that Zone 1 (Moncton region) move to the Orange level of recovery and that Zone 4 (Edmundston region) move from lockdown to the less restrictive Red level of recovery. Public Health re-assessed both zones earlier on Monday and determined that the number of new cases had stabilized in Zone 1 and that there are currently no outbreaks in vulnerable settings. Zone 4 has no new chains of transmission and the number of new daily cases has stablized because outbreaks at long-term care facilities are now under control. These factors were the main determinants in the level changes for both health zones.

“I thank New Brunswickers, especially those who are living in regions that had been at the lock down or Red level, for their dedication and hard work as we continue to fight the spread of COVID-19 in our province,” said Dr. Russell. “With Family Day and spring break around the corner, the risks imposed by this virus, and its variants, are still present. We need everyone in every part of New Brunswick to continue to follow Public Health guidance to avoid going back to these more stringent measures.”

Despite six out of seven health zones now being in the newly modified Orange level of recovery, Public Health is strongly advising that New Brunswick residents avoid leaving the province or even their health zone for unnecessary travel. With the upcoming Family Day long weekend and March Break just days away on the calendar, Public Health wants New Brunswickers to enjoy time off responsibly.

“The pandemic has made for a challenging start to the year for our province, but as always when faced with a challenge, New Brunswickers stepped up,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard. “Today’s announcement is a reminder of what is possible when we all work together for the greater good, with a goal of keeping one another healthy and safe.”