The provincial government announced at a press conference in Fredericton that beginning Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 11:59 p.m., people will be required to show proof of vaccination when accessing certain events, services and businesses, and anyone entering New Brunswick must preregister their travel.

“As we are in the fourth wave of the pandemic, it is imperative that we do what is needed to protect our residents while living with the reality that the virus is still with us,” said Premier Blaine Higgs. “These changes are necessary to ensure that our province is able to remain in Green and avoid lockdowns, which we know are detrimental to businesses and people’s mental health. We also need to avoid overwhelming our health-care system. The vaccine is an effective tool that can help us combat this virus, but more people must get vaccinated to provide us all with better protection.”

People will need to show proof of vaccination whenever they access certain services, businesses and events, including: indoor festivals, performing arts and sporting events; indoor and outdoor dining and drinking at restaurants, pubs and bars; movie theatres, nightclubs, amusement centres, pool halls, bowling alleys and casinos; gyms, indoor pools and indoor recreation facilities; indoor group exercise facilities; indoor organized gatherings including weddings, funerals, parties (excluding parties in a private dwelling), conferences and workshops; indoor organized group recreational sports, classes and activities; and visiting a long-term care facility.

“If you are an unvaccinated New Brunswicker, you are 23 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than a person who is fully vaccinated,” said Russell. “This puts our health-care system under strain. The focus on caring for severely ill COVID-19 patients limits our ability to serve those with other conditions.”