Fredericton — The New Brunswick government has announced eight new COVID-19 recovery phases to help New Brunswickers prepare for lifestyle changes with rising or decreasing cases in the province.
The changes were brought in due to the uncertainty caused over last-minute changes to the Red Phase earlier this week that left many citizens confused.
The new recovery phases aim to keep restrictions in each phase consistent so that the public can prepare for a sudden shift in phase. With the release came the announcement that several zones will change which phase they are in at midnight tonight.
The changes are as follows:
- Moncton region, Zone 1, will enter the Maroon Phase. This is similar to the current red phase except that everybody must also wear a mask during Zoom meetings.
- Saint John region, Zone 2, will enter the Vermillion Phase. This will make all streets and sidewalks one way to prevent people from bumping into each other.
- Fredericton region, Zone 3, will enter the Scarlet Phase. This means that salons and barber shops may open but their customer base is restricted daily based on the phase of the moon and each customer’s zodiac sign.
- Edmundston region, Zone 4, will enter the Mahogany Phase. This is a complete lockdown where nothing, not even hospitals, are open and all students will learn from home by watching a livestream of Dominic Cardy constantly washing his hands.
- Campbellton region, Zone 5, will transition to the Tangerine Phase. This will allow each resident one beer run a week to Quebec provided they get tested once they have returned.
- Bathurst region, Zone 6, will transition to the Amber Phase. This is similar to the tangerine phase except that you get to see one friend every other weekend at Tim Hortons.
- Miramichi region, Zone 7, will remain in the Orange Phase. Despite no new or active cases, it seems that the government has simply forgotten to move them out of this phase.
A complete list of recovery phases and their restrictions can be found on the government’s website in a 613-page document aimed at making it easy to understand the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.