N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Changes to test protocols expected as CUPE strike impacts province's lab
CBC
Public Health is expected to announce new COVID-19 assessment and testing protocols today because the strike by members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees has started to affect the province's microbiology lab in Moncton, the government says.
No details about how the lab at the Dr. Georges-L-Dumont University Hospital Centre has been affected have been released.
But COVID-19 assessment and testing activity will be "significantly impacted" this week, according to a news release Sunday.
"Mitigation plans are being put in place and additional information on new assessment and testing protocols will be shared with the public Monday," the release said.
The CUPE strike, now into Day 4, involves 22,000 workers in 10 locals, including health care, education, transportation and agricultural sectors, as well as social workers, jail guards, court stenographers and staff at WorkSafeNB and New Brunswick community colleges.
Some COVID-19 testing at assessment centres and vaccination clinics have been cancelled because of the strike.
And the Vitalité Health Network said it had to temporarily close its rapid COVID-19 test kit pickup locations in Moncton, Campbellton, Cocagne, Grand Falls, Clair, Caraquet and Saint-Isidore Monday.
"While Public Health has implemented contingency plans, CUPE declined to agree to the designation of essential workers in COVID-19 services (screening, vaccination clinics, assessment centres, labs) which may result in further delays and cancellations in the coming days," the government release said.
Public Health reported another COVID-related death Sunday and 32 new cases of COVID-19.
Twenty-three people are in hospital with the virus, including 13 in intensive care.
There are 513 active cases across the province.
As of Sunday, 85 per cent of New Brunswickers aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated, while 92.6 per cent have received their first dose.
New Brunswick has had 6,445 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with 5,814 recoveries so far and 117 COVID-related deaths.
A total of 527,315 COVID tests have been conducted to date.
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