Good psychological health at get the job done and very good management go hand-in-hand and there is potent proof that workplaces with higher amount of mental effectively-currently being are much more successful where addressing wellbeing at work improves efficiency by as a lot as 12{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} to 14 {fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}. Covid-19 has raised the ranges of strain, panic, social isolation and despair throughout the world and in the final couple 12 months, individuals are waking up to deal with the situation of mental illness or waking up to the simple fact that this struggling is true, sizeable, prevalent, treatable and still hardly dealt with.
Stress is one particular of the several problems which is confronted by people at distinct levels and spheres of lifetime even though many folks are squished by anxiety thanks to adjust in performing composition considering that Covid occasions. Every day plan of conference deadlines, understanding new instruments, working with conflicts and seeking to climb the profession ladder makes a daily struggle.
Perform strain is regular but that is persistent, irrational, overwhelming and impairs one’s day by day functioning might suggest an anxiety disorder. The place of work in which many devote the greater part of their waking hrs every single perform – is frequently the most structured and managed setting in employees life and it is often their most important indicates of social and psychological aid. As these types of, the office is a essential placing for knowledge and supporting mental wellness.
Psychological wellbeing is a rising problem throughout the planet and the Earth Deloitte’s Psychological Wellbeing Survey 2022 stated that lousy mental wellbeing of staff price Indian employers about US$ 14 billion each 12 months. Amidst these types of really serious mental health and fitness considerations as 80{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the Indian workforce experiencing mental overall health concerns in the recent earlier, it isn’t challenging to discern that Indian staff necessary to step up and pay out extra notice to people dealing with adverse psychological wellness worries.
Positive and supportive workplace practices can enhance workers bodily and psychological well being and corporations moral. So, what’s leading to the anxiousness? In an interview with HT Way of living, Vaneeta Batra, Transformational Everyday living Mentor, exposed, “Heavy workload is the single major offender in accordance to the surveys. Unsurprisingly, most likely, not being paid out ample was one more key induce of do the job relevant stress. One particular in a four worker also blamed “toxic staff” for stress and anxiety. Bullying and conflict at office, extended operating hrs, politics and favouritism at do the job, running deadlines etcetera are a handful of extra results in.”
She added, “In the modern environment anxiousness has turn into one particular of the considerable health difficulties for performing grownups. On top of that, this pressure is a leading lead to of anxiety and other psychological health and fitness problems among staff members. As we attempt to be far more aggressive each working day, we make our mental overall health vulnerable.” She proposed a few means which assistance cut down nervousness:
1. Manage obvious ,open normal conversation – Negate the outcomes of this by sustaining clear ,open and common encounter to facial area conversation with the team members.
2. Give individuals regulate — Stress and anxiety is strongly connected to our notion of manage , so it is no surprise that a deficiency of manage is one of the major lead to of personnel worry.
3. Workplace anxiety and anxiousness are closely linked. By discovering and managing the cause of perform similar strain inside your organisation, you will also minimize personnel anxiety.
4. Continue to keep an eye on workload – Standard checks on work load will support your manager to determine workers who could have capability to consider on do the job from individuals who have the most on their plate . Often, bottlenecks can be cleared by liberating up an staff from taking on new duties or checking their mails for a although .
5. Assessment your adaptable performing preparations – Aiding employees to work at the occasions when they are most effected experienced positive aspects.
6. Forming an worker guidance programme (EAP) – An EAP can put personnel into make contact with with third events this sort of as counselling and referral solutions, aiding them to deal with own issues that may have an affect on their performance and properly being at get the job done .
7. Encouraging workforce to strategy ahead – Encouraging personnel to program out the 7 days forward just before leaving operate on a Friday. They can do this by applying calendars , apportioning unique occasions to distinct duties and getting ready to deal with the major issues initial. This signifies preparing when a position will be performed instead than questioning when to tackle it .
Because dealing with higher strain degrees at perform can influence personnel output and guide to serious conditions in the lengthy operate, Sonal Jindal, Founder of Medusa Exim, suggested:
Market healthier life style at get the job done. No matter if it is setting up fitness center gear at place of work, offering shower services or providing workout breaks in the course of working day, employers can guarantee the wellbeing of their staff by guaranteeing that well being is a precedence at perform.
Overall health Workshops. Strain management workshops can teach staff on how to control anxiety by their individual and professional timelines.
Comply with working hrs. It isn’t stunning to see a 9-to-5 get the job done working day morph into a 9-to-7 or 8 or 9 do the job working day. However function can hold out, it is typically critical to observe deadlines way too. But that need to arrive at a price tag of employees’ overall health. Hence, ensure that your personnel are using entire benefit of their lunch breaks, leaving on time on most of the times, and enjoying standard holidays.
Including to the checklist of coping mechanisms, Shama Soni, Founder of Ashhwika Basis, recommended –
1. A healthier way of living: Introducing a healthy routine in your every day lifetime can do miracles for you. Smaller session of exercising, be it gym, biking or walk and healthier taking in habit will help you battle stress and anxiety at operate position and to advertise your physical and psychological effectively remaining.
2. Be reasonable: Really don’t overcommit in searching very good and talk to for assist when required. Work for your self esteem moreover economical achieve.
3. Trade of feelings: Boost the notion of dwelling library, create a team of buddies at work put and have a single on a person conversations of particular working experience of sharing, questioning and reflection that can substantially change perceptions and give acceptance. The target is to challenge stereotypes and discriminate by means of dialogue.
4. Holistic wellness: Therapeutic things to do or psychological launch therapies can be launched in the workplace to retain employees successful far more confident happier and increase resilience to perform and existence worry.
5. Get counselling: Rework worry & anxiousness by on the web counseling sessions in which people today notice their views & feelings devoid of judgment. Relying on digital and in person team lessons will assist guideline people to superior psychological wellbeing options.
6. Giving back to the neighborhood: Sensitizing employees about their community and inspiring them to volunteer or assist for the bring about as kindness constantly assistance you really feel great and conquer your psychological strain.
LONDON–(Small business WIRE)–Blue Monday, which falls on the 16 January this year, is usually recognised as the most depressing working day of the yr and a difficult time for lots of. These that are facing the winter season months, with colder weather conditions and shorter daylight, may be inclined to practical experience Seasonal Affective Problem (Unhappy). With The Planet Wellbeing Group reporting that 15{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of working-age grownups dwell with a mental dysfunction and twelve billion doing the job days are dropped just about every year to depression and nervousness alone1, sick-psychological wellbeing is a subject matter that cannot be ignored. Worldwide SOS highlights the great importance for organisations to recognise the affect this can have on their workforce and take methods to defend and encourage the mental overall health of their workforce.
Dr Rodrigo Rodriguez-Fernandez, World-wide Overall health Advisor, Wellness & Psychological Health and fitness at International SOS, claims “Next the exhilaration of the holiday year, it is normal for a lot of to sense a little down at this time of the calendar year and have a tricky time altering to the return to get the job done. Some may well have professional loved ones and economical pressures above the festive period of time, as households cope with rising electricity payments, mortgages, and inflation. Within just a identical vein, the Worldwide SOS Hazard Outlook 2023 report reveals that the price-of-residing pressures will be most probable to have a adverse outcome on mental health and fitness and efficiency in the future 12 months.”
Do the job can be a protecting element for psychological overall health, but it can also add to worsening psychological wellbeing. Without having efficient assistance from companies, psychological health and fitness challenges can affect employees’ potential to do the job productively and improve absences. A place of work lifestyle which focuses on avoiding mental ill-wellbeing and promotes self-care is priceless for employees.
Dr Rodriguez-Fernandez adds “Organisations are now recognising the increased require to emphasis on psychological well being.2Producing doing work problems in which an personal personnel can improve their expertise to boost mental wellbeing and obtaining initiatives in area to stop mental unwell-wellbeing are essential. Having said that, businesses should know that staff could generally really feel reluctant to talk about their mental health and fitness challenges with their colleagues and supervisor they function with. To counter this, it is vital for organisations to offer a variety of tailored answers that meet every employee’s different wants and anticipations. Psychological health and fitness and wellbeing guidance this sort of as just one on just one short-term counselling, having wellbeing times at get the job done, 24/7 wellbeing hotline and worry awareness teaching are found to be useful to staff members.3”
To support organisations help the psychological health and fitness of their staff for the duration of what can be a hard time for some, Worldwide SOS shares underneath professional tips:
1. Make an emotionally open society and motivate open communication – generate a risk-free room for employees to speak about their psychological health and fitness and wellbeing. Encourage them to communicate up if they are sensation overwhelmed or having difficulties.
2. Encourage self-treatment – offer means on self-treatment tactics this sort of as physical exercise, healthier taking in, and tension administration approaches. Make it possible for and motivate workers to consider typical breaks in just the workday to get contemporary air and extend.
3. Present overall flexibility – in phrases of doing the job hours and location to support staff members harmony their do the job and private life based mostly on personal needs.
4.Assure that workforce know that they are not by yourself – stimulate them to make use of any mental wellbeing means and support out there, these kinds of as counselling or staff aid programmes.
5.Aim on upskilling line supervisors with psychological wellness training or psychological wellness to start with-aid education – to recognise the indications of mental health troubles and how to guidance workforce who may well be battling.
Notes to Editors
About the International SOS Team of Firms
The Intercontinental SOS Group of Providers is in the small business of conserving lives, protecting your worldwide workforce from wellness and safety threats. Where ever you are, we produce customised wellbeing, safety chance management and wellbeing remedies to fuel your expansion and efficiency.
In the occasion of extraordinary weather conditions, an epidemic or a safety incident, we deliver an fast reaction providing peace of brain. Our innovative engineering and health-related and protection skills focus on prevention, offering genuine-time, actionable insights and on-the-ground high-quality supply. We enable safeguard your people today, your organisation’s reputation, as well as support your compliance reporting needs. By partnering with us, organisations can fulfil their Responsibility of Care responsibilities, although empowering business enterprise resilience, continuity and sustainability.
Founded in 1985, the Intercontinental SOS Team, headquartered in London & Singapore, is trustworthy by 9,500 organisations, including the majority of the Fortune Worldwide 500 as well as mid-sizing enterprises, governments, academic institutions, and NGOs. 13,000 multi-cultural protection, professional medical, logistics and digital professionals stand by you to supply aid & help from about 1,000 destinations in 90 international locations, 24/7, 365 times.
Bounce again from the worry and depression of finding laid off. Pic Credit score: Freepik.com
The information of tech huge Meta’s owner Mark Zuckerberg laying off 11,000 personnel i.e. all over 13{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the workforce thanks to reduced profits era has distribute throughout the world-wide-web like wildfire. This not only arrived as a shock to those people in the frontlines but also numerous other folks who worry might deal with a similar scenario before long.
Getting sacked by your organization is an embarrassing nevertheless hugely stressful predicament wherever you out of the blue really feel lost and off the track. The considered of experiencing your loved ones and relatives whilst remaining unemployed and nothing at all to seem forward to while looking at your colleagues and pals relocating on in advance in daily life can deliver everyone into a state of frenzy.
So how accurately can you area a barrier on these types of undesired views which could possibly set you panicking each individual time you see your manager approaching you? Properly, listed here are 5 strategies you can surely apply to retain on your own tranquil and gathered and aim improved on your career.
Prevent leaping to conclusions
You suddenly come to feel as if your manager isn’t chatting to you the way he/she made use of to before. Their electronic mail replies are sluggish and and now you experience like they just really don’t care about the worth you deliver to the corporation. All these ideas may well direct you into pondering that he/ she may demonstrate you the door at any time shortly.
Prevent proper there and just acquire a deep breath. Close your eyes, sit upright and aim only on your breath as you inhale and exhale. Soon after a minute or two, open them and reflect upon the condition. Do you genuinely feel your task is on the line or was it just your brain likely haywire? If you chose the latter, it usually means you have very little to be concerned about.
2) Retrospect
If ideas of obtaining sacked infiltrate your intellect, just just take a step again and feel for a instant. Are you ready to meet your aims proficiently? Are you involved carefully with projects that are of interest to your manager where he can see your dedication and caliber? If you believe you are diligently meeting the organization’s specifications then just sit back again and devise programs to make improvements to your efficiency. You can also variety networks with other colleagues and stakeholders of the firm to get an idea of the prevailing environment and do the job on your strengths and weaknesses appropriately.
Imagine almost in advance of permitting panic of finding sacked consume you. Pic Credit: Freepik
3) Chart out a program for the upcoming
If at all you have begun stressing about getting fired, perhaps now is the right time to look at what if you without a doubt get kicked out. Choose a glimpse at your social profiles and resumes and update them with your most current achievements and milestones.
Just take a notepad and a pen and jot down factors on how you will be dealing with the tense predicament, how you will cope with your finances, a vocation change in the upcoming or make a listing of probable providers who will be intrigued in employing anyone like you. When this may perhaps look like overthinking, its basically a defensive mechanism in which you are channeling your stress into executing one thing effective these types of as coming up with a backup approach for the even worse situation scenario.
4) Replicate upon your previous
Just believe about what it took for you to bag this task and what troubles you confronted through your journey . Recollecting the struggles of your past will enable your thoughts to unwind considering that it now remembers the stones you had stepped upon to assist make your dreams appear true will place you back on the track.
Did these strategies support you be concerned less about acquiring laid off? If so, let us know @ZoomTv!
If there is one beneficial factor to occur out of the pandemic, it is the collective effort and hard work to end the stigma bordering mental ailment. 20 decades ago, the discussion on mental and emotional well being was extremely different—mainly simply because there was not 1, at least not in the way there is right now.
The gatherings of the past couple several years have highlighted how no one is immune from a blow to psychological and emotional well being, specially when significant-scale traumatic occasions impact all of us. This helps make mental well being a priority for every person.
Look at that almost two-thirds of People invest most of their working day and the the vast majority of their waking hrs at function. The office can drastically effect personnel perfectly-staying positively or negatively. This creates a distinctive possibility and duty for enterprise leaders.
In accordance to the Environment Health and fitness Business, for each $1 place into personnel psychological health and fitness, there is a return of $4 in improved wellness and productiveness. Recognizing this, several employers who treatment deeply about the properly-becoming and achievements of their personnel want to have an understanding of what they can do to make a big difference.
Utah Neighborhood Builders, the Salt Lake Chamber’s social affect basis, partnered with psychological wellness specialists to build the Suicide Avoidance in the Workforce Employer Toolkit, which offers firms a manual for sustaining, marketing, and enhancing the mental overall health of our workforce. The basis then recognized industries with unique worries to workforce resilience: design, hospitality, and the authorized occupation.
This led to the creation of 3 new guides customized to these industries. “Living Well in Law” addresses burnout, engagement, and very well-getting in the authorized job. “Resilience in Hospitality” provides finest techniques for psychological health and fitness in Utah’s environment-course hospitality sector. “Total Safety” builds upon the construction industry’s progress in improving upon bodily security at the work website by incorporating mental and emotional protection off the task.
A frequent topic in each of the guides is the importance of three key elements: chief modeling, manager training, and staff sources.
Leader modeling. Organizational modify that starts off at the leading has the finest possibility for good results. Since mental overall health can be a hard or uncomfortable matter in the place of work, placing an illustration and speaking about psychological overall health can established the stage for a workplace lifestyle that supports mental health and fitness.
Manager instruction. Equipping administrators with the needed abilities and education empowers them to aid make the place of work an atmosphere that values mental health and fitness and addresses it overtly. Moreover, this builds belief in business leaders and makes an environment where by personnel come to feel supported. It also boosts loyalty.
Worker methods. It is very important that workforce are manufactured informed of available assets, each the publicly-available disaster intervention means and almost everything a business enterprise gives by way of health and fitness insurance plan, HR, or Staff Aid Applications. A lot of of these means can be found in the suicide avoidance toolkit and the industry-targeted guides, which refer to jobs like Are living On Utah.
As company leaders, we are responsible for marketing psychological and emotional well-being in the workplace. We need to never underestimate our position in our employees’ mental health and fitness, and each individual of us can turn out to be additional mentally and emotionally geared up for this role. By making a system and using a stand against stigma, company leaders can conserve many lives and assure Utah’s workforce is resilient, mentally and emotionally match, and prepared for the difficulties and prospects of the long run.
A stockbroker platform called ‘Zerodha’ found alone surrounded by controversies, thanks to a modern initiative. To persuade balanced living among its staff members, it begun a ‘BMI Challenge’ wherever it will give a salary bonus to those whose Entire body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated lesser than 25. Not only them, a particular person who witnesses a substantial change in normal BMI will be rewarded for their efforts.
Zerodha’s CEO, Nithin Kamath, shared his system on Twitter by laying down the vital information. Nonetheless, what started out out as a noble initiative has turned out to be a nightmare as a number of netizens criticised him for pressurising their personnel to glimpse a specific way and excess fat-shaming them by holding this sort of difficulties.
What Is ‘BMI Challenge’?
The ‘fun’ overall health initiative was released on the occasion of Planet Health Day on April 7. “We are operating a enjoyment overall health system at Zerodha. Any one on our group with BMI< 25 gets half a month's salary as a bonus. The average BMI of our team is 25.3 and if we can get to <24 by August, everyone gets another half month as a bonus. It would be fun to compete with other companies," Kamath tweeted about the challenge.
The lowest average BMI or the largest change in average BMI wins. The winner chooses a charity everyone else contributes to. Maybe a health tech company can run the initiative.
If you want to do this at your company, do post in the comments.
For those who are unaware, the Body Mass Index is calculated with the help of a person’s height and weight. It helps to determine whether a person is underweight, overweight or obese. The average BMI range is between 18.5 and 24.9. If a person falls under 18.5, he or she will be considered underweight. However, if the BMI falls between 25.0 and 29.9, it will be considered overweight.
In light of this, Kamath shared a disclaimer as well. He adds, “I know BMI is not the best measure to track health and fitness, but it is the easiest way to get started. With health and most other things in life, the most important bit is to get started.”
Noble Incentive Gone Wrong
Kamath’s initiative aims at encouraging employees to stay fit. With the added monetary incentive, the challenge is lucrative in nature. However, since its inception, the BMI challenge has received flak on the internet.
Under Nithin Kamath’s tweet, netizens slammed him for fat-shaming people and pining unrealistic body image expectations on them. One user said, “Hey Nithin! I really appreciate the effort of incentivising and gamifying health for employees. But the same blanket goal for everyone can be a problematic strategy since it, at a lowest risk level, can make people associate their worth with weight or size.”
I hope your team does not have any pregnant women or nursing mothers… It is typical for women to gain weight in this phase of their life. And, in your team they’ll be penalised or made to compete. Is this fair to them ?
Issues relating to body image play a detrimental role in our mental health. It is equated with our self-worth and the dislike towards it can demoralise us immensely. Also, this can lead to eating disorders.
BMI is not a measure of health, and this is ableist, fatphobic, and racist. It’s stigmatizing and shaming those with higher BMI’s. Asking people to develop eating disorders in a “competition” isn’t fun, it’s twisted. You’re harming people’s mental health. Don’t do this.
— joules Pass The Equality Act! (@joules54228823) April 8, 2022
“This is serious discrimination and body shaming. There is nothing ‘fun’ about your program. Why should my pay or a bonus be linked to my body type? The only thing relevant is my work,” another user chimed in.
‘Sitting Is The New Smoking’
Despite the backlash, Nithin Kamath stands strong with the challenge. “We have experimented with a bunch of ideas since COVID & WFH to help the team think about their health. Sitting is the new smoking, & the idea has been to nudge everyone to move,” he added in a tweet.
And this is just an added bonus over and above all other bonuses & incentives that everyone on the team earns. Just like that Rs 10lk prize pool for the lottery we ran last year to pick one person amongst everyone who met their health goals. 5/5
While many pledged their support to the programme, many people still criticised Kamath for not seeing the bigger picture. Started as a positive initiative, connecting an employee’s body image with their performance at the office can be uncalled for, especially when it has an impact on one’s self-worth and identity.
Also Read: US Woman Who Was Trolled As ‘Too Ugly’ Posts Selfie Every Day For One Year, Wins Hearts
Five more New Brunswickers have lost their lives to COVID-19, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard announced Friday.
Four people in the Moncton region, Zone 1 – including two people 60-69, a person 70-79 and a person 80-89 – and a person 70-79 in the Campbellton region, Zone 5, have died.
This pushes the province’s death toll to 106. Shephard said she is “saddened” by the news, calling each loss of life “incredibly difficult.”
But she noted the “positive trend” of the 40 new cases of COVID-19 being outnumbered by the 67 recoveries — one she said she hopes will continue.
Shephard also announced that about 7,000 of the government’s 59,500 employees have still not shown proof they’ve received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Although vaccination rates among public sector employees have increased by six per cent since mandatory vaccination was announced on Oct. 5 Shephard said she is troubled.
“We simply cannot afford to have unvaccinated people working in New Brunswick’s public service. The potential risk to co-workers, patients, students and members of the public is too high,” she said.
As of Saturday, those who have not received at least one dose won’t have enough time to meet the Nov. 19 deadline to be fully vaccinated because of the required 28 days between doses.
“This means they will spend at least some time home from work without pay,” Shephard said.
This will definitely have an impact on the public service, she said, noting the unvaccinated individuals are in all sectors, including payroll entry, front-line hospital workers and education staff.
“But we have to have a steady line of understanding that this is very necessary for the protection of everyone.” said Shephard.
A total of 83.3 per cent of New Brunswickers age 12 and older are now fully vaccinated, up from 83.1 on Thursday, and 92 per cent have received their first dose, up from 91.9.
Shephard urged all public service employees who have not yet received a dose to book an appointment immediately to reduce the length of time they’ll be on unpaid leave.
“I’m optimistic that after weighing the consequences, more people will choose to do the right thing.”
Red alert extended for at least 1 week
She made the comments during a news conference held to provide an update on the state of the health-care system.
Fifty people are hospitalized because of the virus, down from 55 on Thursday, including 15 in intensive care, a decrease of one.
Eleven people are on ventilators, including seven in Horizon Health Network hospitals and four in Vitalité Health Network hospitals.
The province has an “ample” supply of ventilators, said Shephard.
Dr. John Dornan, interim president and CEO of Horizon and Dr. France Desrosiers, president and CEO of Vitalité, announced the red alert level protocols for COVID-19 will be extended for at least another week.
The red alert level protocols allow the regional health authorities to redeploy staff and reduce non-essential services to maintain emergency services and ICUs, caring for COVID-19 patients and those who are critically ill.
Fourth wave struck with unexpected ‘intensity’
Desrosiers said the fourth wave of the pandemic has struck “with an intensity that we have never forecasted.”
An outbreak at the Campbellton Regional Hospital has resulted in 17 positive cases among patients, four of whom died, and 37 infections among staff.
Desrosiers said it clearly shows how one infection in a hospital can paralyze a facility. Speaking in French, she added that no new cases have been detected since Oct. 20.
The outbreak was previously reported as being at the Restigouche Hospital Centre in Campbellton, the province’s only dedicated mental health hospital. On Friday, Desrosiers told CBC the same medical team provides services at both hospitals.
Across the network, 59 employees are off work, including 19 who tested have positive.
About 2,000 digital imaging appointments and 515 elective surgeries have had to be postponed since Vitalité moved to the red alert phase Oct. 12, said Desrosiers.
Last Wednesday alone, there were 55 New Brunswickers who “unfortunately will have to wait a little longer to get their surgery, surgery that they need in order to improve their health and their quality of life,” she said.
“It is difficult for them and we are very aware of that.”
On average, all Vitalité hospitals are operating above 100 per cent capacity.
Vitalité has about 900 unvaccinated staff.
The decision to move back to the orange or yellow level will be based on being able to manage the risk of community transmission and the capacity of human resources, Desrosiers said.
‘Proverbial Trojan horse’
Dornan described the delta variant as a “proverbial Trojan horse.”
“It enters our hospital in disguise, on the back of your hand, on your body when you are completely asymptomatic, and then you become positive and you spread it to a friend, or an inpatient, and they spread it to somebody else, and then they spread it to staff.”
The hospitals need to break its access, he said, referring to visitor restrictions and limited support worker access.
The number of cases connected to the outbreaks in the Moncton Hospital’s cancer and general surgery units remains at 14 patients and 11 staff, Dornan said. The outbreaks have resulted in reduced access to chemotherapy treatments and surgeries for some patients, he said.
Asked for an update on a third outbreak on the hospital’s geriatric unit — Units 5100 and 5200 — Dornan incorrectly told CBC an outbreak had not been declared.
An outbreak was declared on Sept. 27. No new cases have been confirmed since Oct. 1, said Horizon spokesperson Kris McDavid. The outbreak will be declared over after two viral cycles, each of 14 days, with no new cases, he said.
The 40 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed Friday are spread across five of the province’s seven health zones and put the total active case count at 731. (CBC)
On Thursday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell revealed most of the then-23 fully vaccinated people hospitalized with COVID-19 contracted the virus after they were hospitalized for other reasons at the Moncton Hospital and Campbellton Regional Hospital.
Asked what is being done to improve protocols to ensure such infections don’t continue, Dornan acknowledged when people go to the hospital, they “have some assurances that they’re safe, that they’re not going to get sicker.”
“The infections in our hospitals were borne by visitors, by that Trojan horse,” he said, so limiting people from entering the hospital is key. Desrosiers, however, said it’s difficult to trace the index case in a hospital outbreak.
They both said they’ve increased screening. Horizon also polls people twice a day about whether they’re experiencing COVID-related symptoms, said Dornan.
In addition, it practises “very good droplet precaution, handwashing, masking religiously in all our units, and those manoeuvres already have reduced any further spread,” he said.
Dornan said it was a small number of COVID patients who acquired the virus in hospital. The Moncton Hospital outbreak started with a patient who didn’t know they had COVID. The patient screened negatively and only developed symptoms later, he said.
Across Horizon, a total of 113 “non-urgent” surgeries have been delayed or cancelled so far, he said, refusing to refer to them as “elective” surgeries, noting there is “no such thing.”
“You don’t wake up and say, ‘I think I elect to have surgery today.’ Elective surgery just means that it does not need to be done within the next 24 or 48 hours.
“And to be clear, while the term ‘elective’ is used, every single surgery is assessed, covered by our health-care system and is necessary.”
Seventy-one of them have been in the Fredericton and Upper River Valley area, 42 in the Moncton area, and some in the Saint John area as well, even though it’s not a circuit breaker region, because the OR staff are needed in other units, he said.
There’s no playbook for how we respond to COVID.– John Dornan, Horizon interim president and CEO
In some cases, surgeries are postponed at the patients’ wishes because they’re nervous to go to the hospital during the red phase, Dornan said. Horizon has been at the red phase since Oct. 13.
“We are always very concerned that … post red phases, people’s diseases progressed to the point that when they come back, it’s a more serious problem.”
Most of Horizon’s hospitals are operating at over 90 per cent capacity. The ideal occupancy rate is about 85 per cent, he said.
About 1,200 Horizon employees remain unvaccinated.
“Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions with respect to all aspects of our hospital care. And this is a very sensitive process,” Dornan said.
“We also have to weigh the risks and benefits of doing nothing. And generally speaking, that’s just untenable. There’s no playbook for how we respond to COVID.”
Booster dose appointments for health-care workers now available
Health-care personnel, including those working in long-term care facilities, can now book an appointment to receive an mRNA COVID-19 booster dose if six months have passed since their second dose of a vaccine, Public Health announced Friday.
Details on booster doses for other groups will be available in the “coming weeks,” according to a news release.
Health-care workers are reminded to bring their immunization record with them to their appointment.
Update on school sports and extracurricular activities
School teams and extracurricular groups are now permitted to travel within New Brunswick, including in and out of circuit breaker communities, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard announced Friday.
Students under the age of 12 in circuit breaker communities will also be able to resume school sports and extracurricular activities, following the Healthy and Safe School guidelines, she said. All these activities continue to be subject to guidance provided in the mandatory order.
Spectators are allowed to attend school-related events that are held outside of school facilities, provided they show proof they are fully vaccinated and follow masking and physical distancing requirements, Shephard said.
Starting Oct. 29, spectators will also be permitted to attend sports and extracurricular activities inside school buildings, provided they follow masking, physical distancing and “any other operational requirements set out by schools or districts,” she said.
“All events will require the co-operation and support of families and community volunteers,” Shephard noted. “If schools are not able to find enough community volunteers to manage events, individual schools and school districts may choose not to allow spectators.”
Breakdown of cases
The 40 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed Friday put the province’s total active case count at 731.
Of the new cases, 29 – or 73 per cent – are unvaccinated, two – or five per cent – are partially vaccinated, and nine – or 22 per cent – are fully vaccinated.
Of the 50 people hospitalized due to the virus, 25 are unvaccinated, three are partially vaccinated and 22 are fully vaccinated.
Of the 15 people in intensive care, 14 are unvaccinated and one is partially vaccinated.
Here is a breakdown of the new cases:
Moncton region, Zone 1, 25 cases:
10 people 19 or under
Two people 20-29
Four people 30-39
Four people 50-59
Three people 60-69
A person 70-79
A person 80-89
Twenty-four cases are under investigation and the other is a contact of a previously confirmed case.
Saint John region, Zone 2, three cases:
A person 20-29
A person 40-49
A person 60-69
All three cases are under investigation.
The Moncton Hospital has COVID-19 outbreaks in the cancer, geriatric and general surgery units. It’s a hospital ‘under duress,’ said Horizon’s interim president and CEO Dr. John Dornan. (CBC)
Fredericton region, Zone 3, five cases:
Three people 19 or under
A person 20-29
A person 30-39
All five cases are under investigation.
Edmundston region, Zone 4, five cases:
A person 19 or under
A person 30-39
A person 50-59
Two people 60-69
All five cases are under investigation.
Campbellton region, Zone 5, two cases:
One case is under investigation and the other is a contact of a previously confirmed case.
New Brunswick has had 6,072 confirmed cases of COVID since the start of the pandemic, with 5,234 recoveries so far.
A total of 514,676 lab tests have been conducted to date, including 1,793 on Thursday.
On Thursday, 9,471 rapid-test kits were distributed across the province, Public Health said.
Sackville nursing home outbreak to be declared over
A COVID-19 outbreak at Drew Nursing Home in Sackville is expected to be declared over Friday at midnight, according to an update the home sent to families Thursday night.
The latest round of tests Tuesday found no new positive cases, the update states.
The home is currently updating its visitation policy.
“After this stressful experience with COVID 19, we will be taking a cautious approach to opening our doors.”
Families will be contacted once the visitation rules are finalized, the update advises, thanking them for their patience and understanding throughout the “incredibly difficult situation.”
The outbreak began Sept. 14, when it was announced the home was closed to visitors after a staff member tested positive.
A total of 40 people have tested positive throughout the outbreak — 30 residents and 10 staff.
Eight residents have died.
A Parade of Heroes was scheduled to be held in the Drew parking lot Friday at 10 a.m. to thank the staff for their hard work during the outbreak.
Saint John independent living apartment gets ‘all clear’
Loch Lomond Villa in Saint John says visiting can resume in its three independent living apartment buildings after an outbreak of COVID-19 was declared in at least one of them a couple of weeks ago.
“We have been given the ‘all clear’ by Public Health,” the Villa announced on Facebook Thursday.
“Thank you for your patience while we worked to keep our tenants safe and healthy.”
Building 3 (The Crossing) on 165 Loch Lomond Rd. was closed to visitors Oct. 8 due to a confirmed outbreak.
Building 2 (The Cornerstone) on 219 Ellerdale St. and Building 1 (The Milestone) on 221 Ellerdale St. were closed to all visitors the same day as a precaution, the Villa had said.
Visitors are reminded that all COVID protocols remain in place, including wearing a mask, physical distancing and frequent handwashing.
New cases at 3 schools, 1 daycare
Five new positive cases of COVID-19 have been identified at three schools, according to the COVID-19 dashboard.
The schools where a case or cases have been confirmed include: École Anna-Malenfant and Birchmount School in the Moncton region, Zone 1, and École Grande-Rivière, in the Edmundston region, Zone 4.
Forty-five schools are currently impacted
A total of 375 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at 105 schools since the beginning of the school year.
A new case has also been confirmed at Garderie Power Play in Dieppe in the Moncton region, Zone 1.
People who have been in close contact with a confirmed case will be notified directly by Public Health or the facility for contact tracing, Public Health said in a news release.
Since Sept. 7, 57 early learning and child-care facilities have had confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Atlantic COVID roundup
Nova Scotia reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the active caseload to 160. Fifteen people are hospitalized because of the virus, including four who are in intensive care.
Newfoundland and Labrador reported 30 new cases over Thursday and Friday. There are now 62 active cases, and four people are in hospital.
Prince Edward Island reported three new cases on Tuesday. The province has seven active cases.
New public exposure notices
The following are the new public exposures released by Public Health on Friday.
Moncton region, Zone 1
Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Ambulatory Care – Clinic C, Moncton Hospital (135 Macbeath Ave., Moncton)
Oct. 20 from 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. – Ambulatory Care – Clinic C, Moncton Hospital (135 Macbeath Ave., Moncton)
Oct. 19 from 8 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. – Ambulatory Care – Clinic C, Moncton Hospital (135 Macbeath Ave., Moncton)
Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Ambulatory Care – Clinic C, Moncton Hospital (135 Macbeath Ave., Moncton)
Oct. 15 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Rocco’s Cucina (2814 Main St., Hillsborough)
Edmundston region, Zone 4
Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. – Pizza Delight (180 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston)
Oct. 14 and 15 from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. – Dejeuner AM Breakfast (1791 Main St., Madawaska Maliseet First Nation)
Previous exposure notices
The following are exposure notices from the past few weeks. For the full list beyond this time period, please visit the Government of New Brunswick’s website, which was redesigned and now clearly separates new exposure notices from previously reported exposure notices.
Public Health has identified a case of COVID-19 in a traveller who may have been infectious while on the following flight:
Moncton region, Zone 1
Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to noon – Caisse Populaire Sud-Est (1363 Route 133, Grand-Barachois)
Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon – Club Extenso Rhythmic Gymnastics (299 Champlain St., Dieppe)
Oct. 18 from 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. – Dieppe Aquatic and Sports Centre (111 Aquatique St., Dieppe)
Oct. 16 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Slapshots Family Sports Restaurant & Grill (55 Russ Howard Dr., Moncton)
Oct. 16 and 17 from 11 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Moncton Hospital Emergency Room waiting room (135 Macbeath Ave., Moncton)
Oct. 15 from noon to 12:30 p.m. – Boutique Recycl’Art and Antiques (149 John St., Moncton)
Oct. 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Bistro Le Chat Bleu (342 Route 940, Baie-Verte)
Between Oct. 10 and 14 – Headquarters Campground, Fundy National Park (11 Headquarters Campground Rd., Fundy National Park)
Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Tim Hortons (1840 Main St., Moncton)
Oct. 13 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Wise Guyz Pub (176 Robinson St., Moncton)
Oct. 13 between 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (89 Trinity Dr., Moncton)
Oct. 13 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. – Georges Dumont Hospital, Diagnostic Imaging Department (330 Université Ave., Moncton)
Oct. 13 between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Spirit Halloween (169 Trinity Dr., Moncton)
Oct. 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Gusto Italian Grill & Bar (130 Westmorland St., Moncton)
Oct. 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Tim Hortons (10 Plaza Blvd., Moncton)
Oct. 9 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Tim Hortons (10 Plaza Blvd., Moncton)
Oct. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Pregnancy & Wellness Centre of Moncton (27 John St., Moncton)
Oct. 7 between 9 a.m. and noon – Service New Brunswick, waiting room (766 Main St., Moncton)
Oct. 7 between 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. – Pseudio (477 Paul St., Dieppe)
Between Oct. 6 and 7 between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 a.m. – Wingate by Wyndham (69 Marché Rd., Dieppe)
Oct. 6 between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. – The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse (751 Main St., Moncton)
Oct. 6 between 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Pseudio (477 Paul St., Dieppe)
Oct. 5 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.- Five Bridges Bar & Grill (121 Pine Glen Rd., Riverview)
Oct. 4 between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – Dr. Léon Richard Oncology Centre (37 Providence St. Moncton)
Oct. 4-6 between 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Club Boishebert de Shediac (322 Main St., Shediac)
Oct. 3 between 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. – Cornerstone Chapel Moncton (11 York St., Berry Mills)
Oct. 3 between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. – Hillsborough United Church (2891 Main St., Hillsborough)
Between Oct. 2 and 3 between noon and 10 a.m. – Beauséjour Camping (747 Lino Rd., Shediac)
Saint John region, Zone 2
Oct. 17 from 9:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – True Life Church (30 Vincent Rd., Quispamsis)
Oct. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Boyd Bros. Home Hardware (9 Route 172, Saint George)
Oct. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (175 Old Hampton Rd., Quispamsis)
Oct. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Sobeys (140 Hampton Rd., Rothesay)
Oct. 15 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – GoodLife Fitness (212 McAllister Dr., Saint John)
Oct. 15 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. –Brenan’s Paradise Row
Funeral Home (111 Paradise Row, Saint John)
Oct. 12 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. – GoodLife Fitness (175 Hampton Rd., Quispamsis)
Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – St. Louis Bar & Grill (175 Hampton Rd., Quispamsis)
Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. –Cask & Kettle Irish Gastropub (112 Prince William St., Saint John)
Oct. 10 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Thandi (33 Canterbury St., Saint John)
Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Kingston Farmer’s Market (4 Market Ln., Kingston)
Oct. 9 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – The Barrel’s Head Gastropub (141 Hampton Rd., Rothesay)
Oct. 9 between 3:45 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. – Drew & Jen’s No Frills (621 Fairville Blvd., Saint John)
Oct. 8 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Pizza Delight (2 King St., St. Stephen)
Oct. 8 between 5:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. – East Side Mario’s (75 Consumers Dr., Saint John)
Oct. 8 between noon and 2:30 p.m. – Canadian Tire (250 King St., St. Stephen)
Oct. 8 between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (195 King St., St. Stephen)
Oct. 8 between 6:45 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. – Station 33 Café & Yoga restaurant section (33 Railway Cres., Hampton)
Oct. 1 and 8between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. – Hampton Chop Shop (557 Main St., Hampton)
Oct. 2 to Oct. 7 between 6:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. – Station 33 Café & Yoga restaurant section (33 Railway Cres., Hampton)
Oct. 5, 6, and 7between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – McAllister Place (519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John)
Between Oct. 4 and 7 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. – Hampton Chop Shop (557 Main St., Hampton)
Oct. 7, between 7:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. – Hampton Community Centre rink (808 Main St., Hampton)
Oct. 7 between noon and 2 p.m. – Vogue Optical (20 Plaza Ave., Saint John)
Oct. 6 between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Vogue Optical (20 Plaza Ave., Saint John)
Oct. 6, between noon and 3 p.m. – Dr. Luan Le’s Office (35 University Ave., Saint John)
Oct. 6, between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Char and Chowder Restaurant (182 Water St., Saint Andrews)
Oct. 6 between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – Herring Cove Pharmacy (924 Route 774, Welshpool)
Oct. 5 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 8th Hussars Sports Centre (8 Leonard Dr., Sussex)
Oct. 5, between 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – Up to Par Restaurant (109 Upper Midland Rd., Norton)
Oct. 5 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. – Canterbury Dental Clinic (18 Canterbury St., Saint John)
Oct. 5 between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. – Campobello Island Health Centre (640 Route 774, Welshpool)
Oct. 4 and 5 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. – Needs Convenience Store (89 Marr Rd., Rothesay)
Oct. 4, between 5:45 p.m. and 16:15 p.m. – Mac’s Island Market (924 Route 774, Welshpool)
Oct. 3 between 4 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. – Vito’s Restaurant (111 Hampton Rd., Rothesay)
Oct. 3 between 10:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. – Char and Chowder Restaurant (182 Water St., Saint Andrews)
Oct. 3 – Kings Church (332 Hampton Rd., Quispamsis)
Fredericton region, Zone 3
Oct. 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. – 540 Kitchen & Bar (540 Queen St., Fredericton)
Oct. 16 from 2:50 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. – Regent Mall (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 15 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Lincoln Big Stop Restaurant (415 Nevers Rd., Waasis)
Oct. 14 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Canadian Tire (388 Connell St., Woodstock)
Between Oct. 13 and 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 11 a.m. – Fredericton Inn (1315 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 13 from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Cazza Petite (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Regent Mall (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – HomeSense (18 Trinity Ave., Fredericton)
Oct. 13 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. – Canadian Tire (388 Connell St., Woodstock)
Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon – Home Hardware (115 Drummond St., Perth)
Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon – BMR Besthome Hardware & Building Supplies (319 Centreville Rd., Florenceville-Bristol)
Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon – Davesports (398 Connell St., Woodstock)
Oct. 12 between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – Canadian Tire (388 Connell St., Woodstock)
Oct. 10 between noon and 5 p.m. – Pseudio (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 10 between 9 a.m. and noon – HopeCity (429 Clements Dr., Fredericton)
Oct. 9 between 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. – Pseudio (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 8 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Pseudio (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 8 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Starbucks (1040 Prospect St., Fredericton)
Oct. 8 between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Taco Boys (10 Trinity Ave., Fredericton)
Oct. 8 between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Vape City (10 Trinity Ave., Fredericton)
Sept. 14 to Oct. 7 – Tobique Valley Senior’s Complex (4 Manor Dr., Plaster Rock)
Oct. 7 between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. – East Side Mario’s (14 Trinity Ave., Fredericton)
Oct. 7 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Dollarama (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 7 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Walmart (1399 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 7 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Hanwell Village Mart (1761 Hanwell Rd., Hanwell)
Oct. 6 between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – PJ’s Wings and Things (38 Main St., Fredericton)
Oct. 6 between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – York County Cider (38 Main St., Fredericton)
Oct. 6 between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Capital Community Church (71 Downing St., Fredericton)
Oct. 6 between noon and 2 p.m. – Ken’s Barber Shop (240 Main St., Plaster Rock)Oct. 4 between 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Scotiabank (728 Perth Main St., Perth-Andover)
Oct. 5 between noon and 8 p.m. – Pseudio (1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
Oct. 5 between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Abony Family Tennis Centre (594 Knowledge Park Dr., Fredericton)
Oct. 4 between 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Scotiabank (728 Perth Main St., Perth-Andover)
Oct. 4 between 9:40 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. – Subway (18 F. Tribe Rd. Unit 3, Perth-Andover)
Oct. 3 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Pond’s Resort on the Miramichi restaurant (91 Porter Cove Rd., Porter Cove)
Oct. 3 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Speedway 104 Mower races (7399 Route 104, Windsor)
Oct. 3 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Speedway 104 Mower races (7399 Route 104, Windsor)
Oct. 3 between 10:30 a.m. and noon – Sure Life Assembly (335 Otis Drive, Nackawic)
Oct. 3 between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. – G8Way Ultramar (22 Route 628, Penniac)
Oct. 3 between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Kingswood Golf Club (1700 Kingswood Way, Hanwell)
Oct. 2-3 between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. – Quality Inn and Suites Amsterdam (559 Bishop Dr., Fredericton)
Edmundston region, Zone 4
Oct. 19 from 11 a.m to 12:40 p.m. – Edmundston Regional Hospital, emergency room waiting room (275 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston)
Oct. 16 from 8:45 a.m to 10 a.m. – Edmundston Regional Hospital Emergency Room waiting room (275 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston)
Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – IGA extra Supermarché Donat Thériault (580 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 15 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Grand Falls Big Stop (121 Route 255, Grand Falls)
Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to noon – IGA extra Supermarché Donat Thériault (580 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Familiprix (131 de l’Église Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Familiprix (131 de l’Église Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 13, 14, and 15 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Roger C. Ouellette (9 Godreau St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 14 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Saint André Recreation Centre (455 Route 255, Saint André)
Oct. 14 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Walmart (805 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Dollarama (15 Mowin St., Madawaska Maliseet First Nation)
Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Dollarama (787 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 14 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 14 from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Foodland (535 Everard H. Daigle Blvd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Loune’s Lounge (475 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 13 from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Dollarama (787 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 13 from noon to 1 p.m. – Walmart (805 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – IGA extra Supermarché Donat Thériault (580 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Canadian Tire (590 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Walmart (805 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 13 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. – Grand Falls General Hospital, Outpatient Waiting Room (625 Everard H. Daigle Blvd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 13 from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. – Dejeuner AM Breakfast (1791 Main St., Madawaska Maliseet First Nation)
Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – BMO (291 Broadway Blvd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon – Toner Home Hardware (445 Broadway Blvd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 12 from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. – Dejeuner AM Breakfast (1791 Main St., Madawaska Maliseet First Nation)
Oct. 12 from 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston)
Oct. 12 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Clinic Physio Logic (182 High St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 12 between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Edmundston Regional Hospital emergency department (275 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston)
Oct. 12 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 12 and 13 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 12 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. – Casse Croute Caro (180 Hebert Blvd., Edmundston)
Oct. 12 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Foodland (535 Everard H. Daigle Blvd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to noon – Walmart (805 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Dollarama (180 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 11 from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Walmart (805 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 11 from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. – IGA extra Supermarché Donat Thériault (580 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 10 between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Walmart (805 Victoria Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 10 from 9:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs Church (30 37e Ave., Edmundston)
Oct. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. – Church of St. Anne (99 Main St., Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska)
Oct. 9 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Bonichoix (4 Saint Camille Rd., Kedgwick)
Oct. 9 between 11 p.m. and midnight – Bar Chez Wilma (500 Mgr Numa Pichette Blvd., Edmundston)
Oct. 9 between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. – Café Retro Bar (69 Canada Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 9 between 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. – Casino Grey Rock (100 Chief Joanna Blvd., Saint Basile)
Oct. 9 between noon and 2 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (344 Canada Rd., Saint Quentin)
Oct. 9 between noon and 2 p.m. – Saint Quentin Co-Op (145 Canada Rd., Saint Quentin)
Oct. 9 from 6 a.m. to 7: 45 a.m. – Ultramar (555 Madawaska St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 8 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. – Ultramar (555 Madawaska St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 8 between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (240 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 8 between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (344 Canada Rd., Saint Quentin)
Oct. 8 between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – Familiprix – Kevin Smyth (138 Main St., Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska)
Oct. 7 from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. – Ultramar (555 Madawaska St., Grand Falls)
Oct. 3 to Oct. 7 – Rodeway Inn (10039 Route 144, Grand Falls)
Oct. 7 between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – Walmart (805 Victoria Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 7 between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Supermarché Bonichoix (746 Main St., Saint Leonard)
Oct. 7 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Familiprix – Kevin Smyth (138 Main St., Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska)
Oct. 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 7 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Sports Experts (180 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 7 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Provincial Court, Carrefour Assomption (121 de l’Église Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 7 between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. – Provincial Court – Carrefour Assomption (121 de l’Église Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 6-7 between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. – Subway (360 Canada St., Saint Quentin)
Oct. 5 and 7 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. – Cyr Roy Machine Shop and Dépanneur (111 Martin Rd., Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska)
Oct. 6 between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Walmart (805 Victoria St., Edmundston)
Oct. 6 between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Dollarama (15 Mowin St., Madawaska Maliseet First Nation)
Oct. 6 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Foodland (535 Everard H. Daigle Blvd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 6 between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – Catholic Diocesan Centre (60 René-Bouchard Rd., Edmundston)
Oct. 5 between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Greco Pizza (10 Mahsus Crt., Edmundston)
Oct. 4 between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Dollarama (180 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
Oct. 4 between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Road, Grand Falls)
Oct. 4 between 8:15 a.m. and 9 a.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Road, Grand Falls)
Oct. 4 between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (240 Madawaska Road, Grand Falls)
Oct. 4 between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Road, Grand Falls)
Oct. 4 between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (180 Madawaska Road, Unit #700, Grand Falls)
Oct. 3 between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Subway (360 Canada St., Saint Quentin)
Oct. 3 between 9:15 a.m. and 10 p.m. – St. George Church (226 St. Georges Rd., Grand Falls)
Campbellton region, Zone 5
Oct. 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Dooly’s (81 Roseberry St., Campbellton)
Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon – Le Grenier (312 Val d’Amour Rd., Atholville)
Oct. 16 from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. – Dooly’s (81 Roseberry St., Campbellton)
Oct. 15 and 14from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Le Grenier (312 Val d’Amour Rd., Atholville)
Oct. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Naturiste (312 Val d’Amour Rd., Atholville)
Oct. 14 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Dooly’s (81 Roseberry St., Campbellton)
Oct. 13 from 8 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Kent Building Supplies (15 Savoie Ave., Atholville)
Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Canadian Tire (384 Val d’Amour Rd., Atholville)
Oct. 12 and 13 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. – J.A. Epicerie 2000 Inc. (339 Main St., Eel River Crossing)
Oct. 12 and 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Boutique Daze (312 Val-D’Amour Rd., Atholville)
Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Kent Building Supplies (15 Savoie Ave., Atholville)
Oct. 7 between 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Campbellton Regional Hospital, emergency department (189 Lily Lake Rd., Campbellton)
Oct. 6 between 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. – Brasserie 1026 Bar & Grill (157 Water St., Campbellton)
Between Oct. 5 and 6 between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. – Campbellton Regional Hospital, emergency department (189 Lily Lake Rd., Campbellton)
Oct. 5-7 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. – CCNB – Campbellton Campus (47 Village Ave., Campbellton)
Oct. 4 between 11:40 a.m. and 12:55 p.m. – Bonnie’s Tabata Fitness (1 Union St., Campbellton)
Between Oct. 1-6 – Campbellton Regional Hospital Med-Surg unit (189 Lily Lake Rd., Campbellton)
Bathurst region, Zone 6
Oct. 8 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. – Walmart (900 St. Anne St., Bathurst)
Oct. 8 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – House of Lee (315 Main St., Bathurst)
Oct. 8 between 9:50 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. – Marshalls (700 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst)
Oct. 8 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Sobeys (1125 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst)
Oct. 5 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Dixie Lee Restaurant (49 St-Pierre Blvd. W., Caraquet)
Oct. 4 between noon and 1 p.m. – L’Entracte Resto Pub (3394 Principale St., Tracadie)
Oct. 3 between 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Walmart (900 St. Anne St., Bathurst)
Miramichi region, Zone 7
Oct. 10 between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. – Tim Hortons (188 King St., Miramichi)
Oct. 5 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Downtown Beauty Salon (1706 Water St., Miramichi)
Oct. 3 between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Harvey’s (2470 King George Highway, Miramichi)
Public Health recommends that people who have been at a possible public exposure site and are not fully vaccinated get a COVID test, even if they don’t have symptoms. They can book an appointment online or call Tele-Care 811.
If they do have symptoms, they must isolate while they await their results.
For people who are fully vaccinated, Public Health recommends they monitor for symptoms for 14 days after the possible exposure and get a COVID test if symptoms develop.
Anyone who frequented the locations at the specified dates and times should also avoid visiting settings with vulnerable populations, such as nursing homes, correctional facilities and shelters, for the next 14 days.
Public Health says symptoms of the illness have included a fever above 38 C, a new or worsening cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, a new onset of fatigue, and difficulty breathing.
In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes.
People with one of those symptoms should stay at home, call 811 or their doctor and follow instructions.
