N.L. reports 15 new cases of COVID-19, with testing urged for students returning from 2 universities
CBC News | Posted: December 13, 2021 8:20 PM | Last Updated: December 13, 2021
Booster shots will also be available for anyone 18 years old and up, province says
As Newfoundland and Labrador reports 15 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday, provincial health officials are asking all students travelling to the province from two Canadian universities to be tested upon arrival.
The news came as part of the province's Monday COVID-19 update, when the province reported 15 new cases of the virus since the province's last update, on Friday.
COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and Queen's University in Ontario. Public Health officials are encouraging any students from those universities arriving in N.L. to be tested. Anyone who shows COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive will need to self-isolate until 24 hours after symptoms resolve and they receive a negative test result.
Eleven of the new cases are in the Western Health region. Five are contacts of previous cases, while the source of six are under investigation. They include five people under the age of 20, four between the ages of 20 and 39 and two people in their 40s.
There are also four cases in the Eastern Health region: three people between 20 and 39, and a person in their 60s. Two are contacts of previous cases and two are related to travel.
The province also reported five recoveries, leaving 23 active cases. There is no one in hospital due to COVID-19
A total of 353,239 COVID-19 tests have now been completed in the province.
Booster doses will be available to any over 18
The Department of Health also announced it will offer booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 18 years old and up six months after their second dose.
According to a media release, the changes are based on guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, which recommended all Canadians over 50 should receive a booster dose earlier this month.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the last province in Canada to expand booster shots beyond people age 70 and up.
Because of the province's vaccination rollout in schools and clinics, government is encouraging anyone over the age of 30 to receive the Moderna vaccine as their booster dose — as NACI recommends people between age 18 and 29 to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Anyone looking to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should get their booster shot at a public health clinic, as the Health Department says pharmacies and physicians don't have access to the vaccine due to a lack of supply.
In Ontario anyone over the age of 50 can receive a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday.
Booster doses were available to people over the age of 60 in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia as of last Tuesday.
People in British Columbia must be over 65, with plans to lower in the age further in January, while New Brunswick offers a booster dose to people over 50 five months after their second dose.
Prince Edward Island uses the same vaccination plan as Newfoundland and Labrador.