Dr. Mark MacMillan made the comments Friday after Horizon Health Network announced that three emergency departments were forced to temporarily close because many doctors and nurses were sick with COVID-19. “The tide, unfortunately, seems to be starting. We’re seeing an increase in numbers,” he said. “We really need New Brunswickers to protect themselves [by getting their fourth dose] so that we can protect ourselves too, so that we can continue to work and take care of you when you come to see us if you are sick.” Earlier this week, Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer, said officials were watching for a possible new wave after four more deaths from the coronavirus, an increase in hospitalizations due to the virus and a nearly doubling of new reported cases. last week. “It looks like it, but we’re still analyzing the data,” he said, noting that BC and Ottawa recently announced they were experiencing new waves. “I think over the course of the next week, we’ll be able to determine here if that’s the case.” McMillan said he’s concerned about the additional strain that COVID-related absences are putting on remaining health care staff. (Shutterstock/Alliance Images) Officials had previously predicted an outbreak of COVID in the fall. The risk of transmission tends to decrease in the summer, when people spend more time outdoors and can more easily physically distance themselves, Russell said. As of Tuesday’s COVIDWatch report, the number of people newly hospitalized for COVID-19 rose to 22, compared with six the previous week, and the number of people hospitalized for the virus rose to 19 from 15, including a that needs intensive treatment. 1,915 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded, up from 1,025. And 182 health care workers across the province were off the job after either testing positive for COVID-19 or coming into contact with a positive case, up from 118 the previous week. Oromocto Public Hospital’s emergency room was closed Friday “due to COVID-related illnesses among staff,” Horizon said in a news release. The Sussex Health Center ER was closed Friday afternoon and will be closed Saturday and Sunday evening as well due to physician and nursing staff shortages caused by the increase in COVID cases. And the Sackville Memorial Hospital ER will be closed all weekend for the same reason. A total of 21.7 percent of New Brunswickers 50 and older have received a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) “Any rise in cases is worrying, not just because [of] the virus is so infectious, but we’re just already at such reduced capacity in terms of health human resources in the hospital,” McMillan said. “So … having people out of work because of infection or close contact and then that puts further strain on the system … that’s our biggest concern right now.” According to the Department of Health, 21.7 percent of New Brunswickers 50 and older have received a fourth dose, as of Thursday. Vaccination rates for the first, second and third doses remained unchanged this week, with only 615 doses. A total of 93.3 percent of eligible New Brunswickers have received one dose, 88.2 percent have received two doses and 52.8 percent have received a booster dose. “Whatever dose you’re entitled to, that’s what you should be getting,” Russell said earlier this week. Children aged five to 11, he said, “are eligible for their second dose about now, so it’s a good time for them to get a boost.” This age group is eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine from the end of November. As of April, about 40 percent had received two doses and 59 percent had received one dose.
