Move to looser Level 1 COVID-19 restrictions sees range of reactions

New Brunswickers woke up Saturday to a reduced range ofCOVID-19 restrictions.

The province moved to Level 1 of the COVID-19 winter plan, the least restrictive level, on Friday at 11:59 p.m.

It's"a major step towards reducing and eliminating restrictions as we prepare to ease out of our winter plan over the coming weeks," Premier Blaine Higgs said in a statement.

Some New Brunswickers welcome the changes. Others are taking a more cautious approach, as the province continues to record daily COVID-related deaths, hospitalizations and cases remain high, and a new Omicron subvariant is starting to circulate. Then there are those who would like to see a further loosening of measures.

TheDiocese of Saint John is looking forward to the return of singing in faith venues, said communications officer Natasha Mazerolle.

"People are really, really excited,"especially at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, she said.

"It's just very much an expression of who we are as a faith community, of our prayer.And also, it engages the congregation to be able to respond and not just to listen to the words.

"The singing is also a prayer, so it helps for people to be able to feel more a part of what's going on."

Just to be able to kind of have that one more step back to normal, I think and to participate in our faith, I think, will be a real comfort for people.- Natasha Mazerolle, Diocese of Saint John

Under Level 2, singinghad been restricted to a soloist, a minimum offour metres from the congregation.

The province amended Level 1 guidance to permit singing in places of worship, even if those in attendance are not required to show proof of full vaccination or medical exemption. Masking is still required.

Faith venues that don't require proof of vaccination must still operate at 50 per cent capacity,ensure physical distancing, and collect names of attendees by row or have an assigned seating plan.

With singing, "just to be able to kind of have that one more step back to normal, I think and to participate in our faith, I think, will be a real comfort for people," said Mazerolle.

Theeased restrictions might also help boost attendance, she said.

"We're always hopeful that those who have been staying away for so long will maybe give it a try and see that, you know, they have been missed and that we're doing everything that we can to keep people safe.

"They're part of the congregation and we want to welcome them back."

'Go-slow approach' with Family Day looming

At St. Paul's United Church in Riverview, there won't be any singing. Services will remain online for at least another couple of weeks, saidRev. Steve Berube.

Given that case numbers have hovered around 1,000 over the last couple of days, the church has decided it's "best to just wait a little bit longer and see how the numbers continue to trend," he said.

On Friday, the province recorded another COVID-related death, marking 70 in the 21 days since the provincemoved toLevel 2 of the COVID-19 winter plan from the most restrictive Level 3.

As of Friday, there were 78 people in hospital, including eight in intensive care, eight of them on ventilators.

Public Health confirmed 254 new cases of COVID through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) labtests,and an additional 709 people self-reported positive results from rapid tests.

At least nine cases ofthe new Omicron subvariant have now been confirmed in the province.BA.2is believed to be about30 per cent more transmissiblethan the BA.1variant, whichhas causeda surge inhospitalizations and cases during the fifth wave of the pandemic.

Danish scientists have reported, however,there's no difference in hospitalizations when compared withBA.1, andvaccines are expected to continue offering protection against severe illness.

Berube said although some of the indicators are trending "in a very positive direction," COVID is still present. The church also recently lost two members of their congregation to COVID, an elderly couple he described as "lovely people,"whodied within six days of each other.

They were both over 70 and "had some health issues, but certainly they were in good health beforehand," he said. Their deaths were shocking,said Berube. "And that's part of the reality that we're facing.

"So we're taking a little bit of a go-slow approach."

The church is hopeful that the COVID situation will continue to improve and by March 6, people will feel safer about returning.

It was a difficult decision, he said,because the congregation, while a mix of ages, is skewedabit more towardseniors, who want to attend service in person, and everyone is tired of COVID and restrictions.

"But we believe that our faith calls us to protecting the most vulnerable amongst us."

Berube noted many people across the province will be gathering this weekend for Family Day, so the church's committee, which includes members who are "broadly experienced" in public health, felt it was best to keep services online for another couple of weeks to ensure numbers continue to drop.

The planned March 6 return also coincides withthe first Sunday in Lent, he said.

Singing will be part of the service at that time, which will be "absolutely wonderful" for the congregation.It gives people joy and pleasure, he said. "That's something that I think people are looking forward to very, very much."

"I can't carry a tune in a bucket, so they may be concerned by me being able to sing again," he joked.

Hockey hardship over isolation rule

Sean Hall, president of the Saint John Youth Minor Hockey Association, said players, parents and coaches alike are all keen to get back to playing games under Level 1.

"Everybody's looking forward to getting the season in," he said.

The kids are "super excited."

"So, good for the spirit, good for the kids', obviously, mental health and the physical aspect as well. So that part is all very good."

From a financial perspective, it's also good forthe association, asa non-profit, to "hopefully avoid giving a bunch of credits back to families, which would be very administratively heavy," said Hall.

The complaintthe association is hearing mostis about the requirement for anyone who tests positive, or their household contacts, to avoidorganized sports or recreation activities for 10 days.

"You've got small teams that might have one or two, three, four kids that have either got COVID or is living in the same home or a close contact even though they don't have COVID and are testing negative they have to sit out for 10 days, which could create a forfeit for a team at a very critical part of the year, because this last half of the season, these games do count towards potentially, you know, coming in the top rankings to get to provincial finals."

Even the U11 players are frustrated,he said.

"They know that these games count and if they're missing half their team, the chances of them being competitive is very low.

"These kids are competitive and they like to keep score."

Department of Health spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said people who testpositive and their household contactsmust isolate forfive days if they are fully vaccinated, thenmask continuously andavoid vulnerable settings and gatherings for the next five days.

"Sporting events are seen as gatherings," he said.

Level 1 measures

• There is no limit on household contacts
• Informal gatherings can have up to20 people indoors and up to 50 people outdoors
• Public gatherings are open and patrons must show proof of full vaccination, andremain seated
• Restaurants can operate at full capacity and patrons must show proof of full vaccination or medical exemption, and remain seated
• Business and retail can operate at full capacity with physical distancing of two metres
• Gyms can operate at full capacity with proof of vaccination
• Salons and spascan operate at full capacitywith physical distancing between patrons,or can require proof of full vaccination from all vaccine-eligible patrons
• Entertainment centres can operate at full capacity withproof of full vaccination
• Faith venues can resume congregation singing. Patrons must show proof of full vaccination or medical exemption. If venues choose not to require proof of vaccination, they must operate at 50 per cent capacity with physical distancingand collect thenames of attendees by row or havea consistent assigned seating plan.
• All recreation and sports are permitted
• For weddings and funerals, people must show proof of full vaccination andfollow Public Health guidance, such as wearing a mask and physical distancing.
• Masks remain mandatory in indoor public places and in outdoor public spaces when physical distancing cannot be maintained