Province out of Atlantic bubble until at least January: Furey

While the number of active cases in the Maritime provinces has dropped slightly, Premier Andrew Furey confirmed Monday that Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to opt out of the Atlantic bubble at least until the new year.

P.E.I. decided last week to extend its decision to stay out of the isolation-free zone for the time being.

P.E.I. announced a number of recoveries Monday, bringing its total active cases to 14. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have 88 and 81 active cases, respectively.

Newfoundland announced eight new cases over the weekend, but none on Monday, bringing its number of active cases to 28.

“There will not be any changes to Dr. (Janice) Fitzgerald’s special measures order regarding travel from within the Atlantic provinces. The same goes for the borders in Labrador,” Furey said during Monday’s COVID-19 video briefing, referring to the province’s chief medical officer of health.

The new guidelines mean anyone coming to the province from the region must self-isolate for 14 days. However, they do not need to apply for a special exemption to travel here like those outside the region.

At the southern Labrador border, travellers entering the province must apply for a special exemption.

Furey said local businesses he’s heard from have been largely understanding of the rationale for the move. He said keeping travel-related cases contained is good for both the health of the population and for the economy in the long run.

Meanwhile, Fitzgerald told reporters Monday that she remains especially concerned about the stigmatization of those who either have COVID-19 or are suspected of importing the disease to the province.

Discouraging paranoia and misinformation about COVID-19 has been a frequent theme from public health officials since the beginning of the pandemic.

“I have concerns that people may not come forward for testing out of fear of how they will be treated either in their community or on social media,” Fitzgerald said. “This vilification of people who test positive for COVID, as well as those travelling to our province, needs to stop. It is a significance hindrance to our efforts in public health.”

She asked everyone to use the THINK acronym when posting on social media, which means making sure what you say is true, helpful, inspiring, necessary and kind.

“We cannot take the chance that a mild fever or sore throat is the common cold,” she said. “We can only identify and contain COVID-19 if we know where it is.”

Health Minister Dr. John Haggie added that people shouldn’t view the fact that some cases are still under investigation as “sinister.”

He said some positive tests only become known shortly before the tally is announced, and before a public health worker interviews the person who tested positive.

“Until that interview is complete, we have no real idea about the nature of that exposure or the route by which it may have got to the individual,” he said.

As a further step, he said, the Department of Health will add an extra table to its online pandemic guideline to indicate the status and source of new cases.

Fitzgerald and Furey, meanwhile, pleaded with residents to continue following guidelines and precautions, especially when it comes to seasonal gatherings.

While formal events such as weddings can have as many as 50 people if distancing and other protocols are firmly in place, informal gatherings are different.

Fitzgerald said people should stick to 20 close contacts throughout the entire season.

“You should not attend a gathering with one group of 20 on one night, and an entirely different group on another night,” she said.