At a press conference in Fredericton, Chief Medical Officer of New Brunswick Dr. Jennifer Russell announced that there are confirmed cases of the Omicron variant have been identified in New Brunswick: two in Zone 7 (Miramichi region) and one in Zone 1 (Moncton region). These cases are tied to an outbreak at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and another four cases have been identified as presumptive Omicron. 

“The Omicron variant is suggested to be 30 per cent more transmissible than the Delta variant and it is likelier to bypass any natural immunity an individual might have from previous infections,” said Dr. Russell. “This is very concerning. I encourage everyone to get their vaccinations as they become eligible and adhere to Public Health measures. Doing so will help protect yourself and your community while reducing the spread of the virus.”

Premier Blaine Higgs announced at the press conference that the provincial government is introducing further measures in response to the arrival of the Omicron variant. As of Friday, New Brunswickers must once again limit their list of close contacts to a steady 20. Entertainment centres and casinos, must operate at 50 per cent capacity with physical distancing. Restaurants can also continue to offer dine-in options as long as there is two-metre distancing between tables.

The Christmas holiday break for students in kindergarten to Grade 6 will begin a week early to allow more kids in the 5 to 11 age group to get vaccinated. All sports activities for children under 12 are now suspended as well as sports competitions and games for those 12 and over. 

“These steps are necessary to reduce the spread of Omicron and other variants as much as possible and to protect our health-care system, as keeping our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed is crucial,” said Premier Higgs. “At the same time, we are trying to find balance, so businesses are impacted minimally during a busy time of year and New Brunswickers are able to spend time with their loved ones celebrating the holiday season.”

“As we have seen in other provinces, the increased number of cases from the Omicron variant will lead to an increased number of hospitalizations,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard. “We must do everything we can to protect our health-care system and the many people who work there. If we do not, both COVID and non-COVID health-care services will be significantly impacted.”