New Brunswick will move to Level 2 of the province's Winter Plan on Monday, December 27, 2021 at 11:59pm in response to the Omicron variant and the continued high number of cases.

“We understand it is important for New Brunswickers to have this time with friends and family,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, at a press conference in Fredericton. “We know that many people will be disappointed by increased restrictions, but as we have said many times, living with COVID-19 is about finding a balance. It is important that we get through the holiday season without major outbreaks and unnecessary strain on our health-care system. We are seeing significant outbreaks in the provinces around us and in Maine, and we want to avoid having those same issues.”

The full list of guidelines, which includes limiting a household's list of close contacts to a "steady 10," is available on the government's website.

“We know that New Brunswickers are looking forward to enjoying the holidays with friends and family, and we encourage them to do so safely,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard. “I highly recommend that people take advantage of the availability of rapid tests and use them regularly. By detecting infections early, and in people who may not be symptomatic, we can help limit the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday season.”

“Our rapid testing has been instrumental in helping us identify cases, especially in people who are not yet symptomatic,” said Premier Blaine Higgs. “In fact, many of our recent positive PCR tests have come as a result of people doing rapid tests, getting a positive result, and booking a PCR test to confirm. Having these tests available helps to give New Brunswickers peace of mind as they gather for the holidays, knowing that they are not passing COVID-19 to loved ones.”