Yesterday and again this morning, VOCM News reported among the potential COVID exposure sites in the province was the Pentecostal Church in Bishops Falls.
That was wrong.
The exposure site was the United Pentecostal Church in Bishop’s Falls which held a yard sale and barbeque on Saturday, September 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. where there was a potential exposure to COVID-19
VOCM News regrets this omission.
Earlier Story
143 of the province’s 159 active cases of COVID-19 are in the Central region with 14 new confirmed cases reported today.
All of the new cases are in Central Newfoundland.
Four people are now in hospital and there is one presumptive positive case.
The rise in cases is taxing public health resources involved in contact tracing.
Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rosann Seviour says the province’s changing epidemiology and the spread of the fourth wave across Canada has prompted changes to the province’s travel restrictions effective at 12:01 Thursday morning.
Anyone partially vaccinated will be required to self-isolate for 14 days, which can be shortened by a test on day 7, 8 or 9. If negative, that period of self-isolation can end. Those requirements are the same as those which apply to people who are unvaccinated.
The Atlantic Bubble has also been suspended, meaning the same requirements apply to those traveling to the province from the Atlantic provinces as apply to travelers from other parts of the country.
Another live COVID briefing is coming tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. It will involve Dr. Proton Rahman who will provide projections based on the latest COVID numbers in the province. VOCM News will carry that briefing live.
Potential Exposure Sites
· Angie’s Place Gander Bay, 303 Main Street, Victoria Cove on Monday, September 13 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
· Funeral Service at the United Church in Aspen Cove on Monday, September 13 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
· McDonald’s in Walmart, 19 Cromer Avenue, Grand Falls-Windsor
Tuesday, September 14 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 15 from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Friday, September 17 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
· Walmart, 19 Cromer Avenue, Grand Falls-Windsor
Tuesday, September 14 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 15 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Friday, September 17 from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
· Harvey’s, 92 Laurel Road, Gander on Friday, September 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
· Yard Sale/BBQ held at the United Pentecostal Church, 451 Main Street, Bishop’s Falls on Saturday, September 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
· Annie’s Harbour Restaurant, 128 Main Street, Twillingate on Sunday, September 19 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
· Salvation Army Church, Peterview on Monday September 20 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
· Valley Restaurant, Grand Falls-Windsor Mall, 19 Cromer Avenue, Grand Falls-Windsor on Tuesday, September 21 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
· Kentucky Fried Chicken, Grand Falls-Windsor, 19A Cromer Avenue on Friday, September 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Anyone who visited those locations is asked to arrange for COVID testing. Anyone who visited those locations at those times and has symptoms is asked to isolate until they receive a negative test.
New Vaccination Rate Target
As the result of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the provincial government is now aiming for 90 per cent vaccination rates according to Dr. Seviour.
80 per cent was a key target “before Delta became our foe” says Seviour. Emerging evidence shows that one dose of the COVID vaccine does not provide sufficient protection she told reporters today.
