All of N.L. moves to Alert Level 3 as province adds 60 new cases of COVID-19

All of Newfoundland and Labrador is moving to Alert Level 3 effective midnight, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the province continue to skyrocket.

At a media briefing Wednesday morning, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said 60 new cases of the virus have been found since Tuesday's update,all of them under investigation.

It's a tie forthe second-highest number of new cases the province has seen in a single day, and brings the province's active case count up from 30 to 223 in just one week, the highest number of active cases in N.L. since mid-February.

Fitzgerald said 37 of the new cases are in the Eastern Health region, 10 are in the Central Health region, 12 are in the Western regionand one is in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region.

There are now active outbreaks across theisland,Fitzgerald said, noting health officials anticipate the numbers will continue to rise given the infectiousness ofthe Omicron variant.

"Our fear is that if we start to see severe illness, it will overwhelm our health-care system, which is already stretched," she said. "We are pulling health-care staff from other areas to work on COVID response, and we cannot risk a surge in hospitalizations."

Watch the full Dec. 22 update:

There have been 12 new recoveries, and no one is in hospital due to COVID-19.

Testing across all regions is ramping up, and 3,458 swabs were completed in the last 24 hours.

Fitzgerald said the government's ongoing response to a pandemic approaching two years long hasn't been for nothing.

"The last thing we want is for people to think the work we have put into the last two years is all in vain. We've benefited from a largely favourableepidemiology and very few restrictions compared to other jurisdictions," Fitzgerald said.

"But most importantly, we've saved lives. Today we need to face things as they are, not as we want them to be. We will reassess where we are on Jan. 10, to determine if we can change the alert level."

Bars, concert venues to close

The move to Alert Level 3 means public health restrictions are tightening up.

The restrictions close bars, cinemas, bingo halls and performance spaces across the province a day before Tibb's Eve, which tends to draw large crowds to drinking establishments across Newfoundland and Labrador.

They also reduce restaurant capacity and reinforce the "steady 20" rule, which limits household contacts to 20 people outside the household.

"None of us want to be delivering this news. We do think it's the right time to introduce these measures to hopefullyprotect the economy long-term. There may be some short-term pain," said Premier Andrew Furey.

"It's not ideal timing, but COVID doesn't know that it's Tibb's Eve or that it's Christmas Day."

Under Alert Level 3, visitor restrictions are in place at seniors' homes, but malls and businesses can remain open at full capacity.

Watch |Dr. Janice Fitzgeraldurgesresidents not to be disheartened

Residents' sacrifices not in vain, says N.L. health officer

3 years ago

Duration 1:00

Newfoundland and Labrador's Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, urged residents not to be disheartened by new health restrictions. She said two years of hard work has saved many lives during the pandemic.

Funerals, burialsand religious ceremonies are limited to 100 people, or 50 per cent capacity of the venue, whichever is less. Wakes are prohibited.

Fitness centres,pools and yoga studios are limited to 100 people at a time, or 50 per cent capacity per room.

Sportsorganizations are limited totraining competitions aren't allowed and working from home whenever possible is recommended.

Fitzgerald asked the public to keep contacts low and think about whether travelling is essential during the holidays.

"You should not be travelling to another area of the province to have a party with people who are not in your close, consistent 20 [household contacts],"she said.

"The more movement of people we have in the province, the more spread of the virus we will see eventually."

MUN, CNA beginning winter semester online

Following the briefing, Memorial University and the College of the North Atlanticannounced it will delay the beginning of the winter semesterand move classes online.

The semester will now start Jan. 10, four days later than planned, and most teaching will be done online until at least Jan. 31.

CNA's semester will also start Jan. 10, with online learning in place until at least Jan. 21. Students will receive their start dates as soon as they are confirmed, said the college.

In a statement published in MUN's Gazette, the university's academic vice-president.Florentine Strzelczyk. said they made themove to allow employees and students returning from holiday travel time to self-isolate.

On-campus gatherings scheduled before Jan.10 are suspended, but in-person classes at both MUN and CNAinvolving labs, fine and performing arts programs and practicums will take place in person.

The university's Marine Institute will open Jan. 4, while university buildings on the St. John's and Grenfell campuses will open Jan. 5.

Strzelczyk said they're planningfor students to return to campus on Jan. 31 but that will depend on risk assessments and guidance from Public Health.

Supports are available for students and staff if needed.

Omicron spread, Exposure notices

Dr. Monika Dutt, medical officer of health for central and western Newfoundland, told CBC Radio's Newfoundland Morning on Wednesday that Omicron cases are now beingfound on the island's west coast.

"We're still at the very beginning of our investigation there," Dutt said. "We have started to see a small number in western Newfoundland."

Western Health isadding additional vaccine booster clinics through the end of December. About 2,000 additional appointment slots were added for next week, with 2,000 appointments already booked for the last two weeks of the year. A testing clinic will also be operating on Thursday and Fridayfrom 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Corner Brook Civic CentreStudio.

Darla King, Western Health's regional director of community health, advises the public to watch the provincial government's vaccine booking website for appointment availability.

Health Minister John Haggie said 107,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine were sent to the province's regional health authorities Tuesday afternoon. He said there are about270,000 people eligible for a booster before the new year and at the beginning of 2022. The province has 214,000 doses ready, and Haggie said 100,000 more will arrivein the next week or so.

Possible exposure notices are continuing to trickle in across the province. One, issued by the Health Department,is forpassengers and crew who travelled on the Labrador Marine Ferry that departed Blanc-Sablon, Que., for St. Barbeon Friday at 6p.m.The departmentis asking anyone who was on board to seek COVID-19 testing.

Potential COVID-19 exposure notices have been shared by all regional health authorities throughout the day. Anyone who visited the below locations at the times listed should be tested for COVID-19:

Labrador-Grenfell Health region

• Walmart, 500 Vanier Ave., Labrador City on Monday between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
• TheWell-Bean Caf, 222 Amherst Ave., Labrador City on Monday between11:30 a.m. and noon.

Western Health region

• Jennifer's Restaurant, 50 Broadway, Corner Brook on Dec. 9from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Best Coast Restaurant, 55 West St., Corner Brook on Dec. 12from noon to 1 p.m.

Central Health region

• The Valley Restaurant, 19 CromerAve.,Grand Falls-Windsor on Dec. 15from noon to 1 p.m.

Eastern Health region

• The Newfoundland Distillery, 14 Conception Bay Highway, Clarke's Beach on Dec.17from 6p.m. to6:30 p.m.
• Kelly's Landing, Water Street, Bay Roberts onDec. 17from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• The Seaside Lounge, 307-309 Conception Bay Highway, Spaniard's Bay onDec.17from 7:30 p.m. to8:30 p.m.
• Winner's Circle Pub & Eatery,325 Conception Bay Highway, Spaniard's Bayon Dec. 17 from 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• The Chalet Sports Bar, 271-275 Crane's Rd., Upper Island Coveon Dec. 17from 9 p.m. to12:30 a.m.
• Spiderman: No Way Home3D Movie Cinema 6,Cineplex at the Avalon Mall, on Dec. 17, 10p.m. show.
• Spiderman: No Way Home 3D Movie Cinema 6,Cineplex at the Avalon Mall on Dec. 19,9:30 p.m. show.
• The Newfoundland Embassy Pub & Eatery, 79-81 New GowerSt., St. John's, on Dec. 16from 11a.m. to5:30 p.m.
• Waterwest Kitchen and Meats, 720 Water St., St. John's, on Dec.16from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Dec.17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• GoodLife Fitness at Atlantic Place,215 Water St., St. John's, on Dec. 17from 4:30 p.m. to6:30 p.m.
• Baccalieu Trail Brewing Company, 1 Conception Bay Highway, Bay Roberts, on Dec. 17from 7 p.m. to7:30 p.m.
• Christian's Pub, 23 George St., St. John's, on Dec. 17from 8 p.m. to midnight.
• Cojones Tacos & Tequila, 195 Water St., St. John's on Dec. 17 from 4:30 p.m. to12:30 a.m. andDec. 18from 5p.m. to11:30 p.m.
• The Celtic Hearth, 300 Water St., St. John'son Dec. 17from 8 p.m. to midnight.
• Green Sleeves Pub and Eatery, 14 George St., St. John's, on Dec. 17from 8 p.m. to midnight.
• The Merchant Tavern, 291 Water St., St. John's, on Dec. 18from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Boca Tapas Bar, 189 Water Street St., St. John's onDec. 18from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Pur &Simple Restaurant, 1641 Topsail Rd., Paradise, onDec. 18from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Mad Rock Theatre Group, St. John the Evangelist Church Event, Coley's Point, Bay Roberts, on Dec. 18 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• GoodLife Fitness, 141 Torbay Rd., St. John's, on Dec. 19 and20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Starbucks,12 Hebron Way, St. John's, on Dec. 20from 7a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

The Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador issued its own notice Wednesday morning, saying the St. John's courthouseis closing for the day because of a likelyCOVID-19 exposure.

All cases scheduled for Wednesday will be called at the same time Thursday, and PublicHealth will contact anyone who may have been exposed for further assessment.

The Health Department says there will be no COVID-19 update over the weekend, while on Monday and Tuesday they will release numbers on its Twitter account. Amedia release on the latestCOVID-19data is expected again Wednesday.

If the circumstanceschange significantly, the Health Department said,advisories will be issued and they will hold a briefing ifrequired.

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