A new order from Chief Medical Officer Dr. Janice Fitzgerald goes into effect at noon.
All travelers entering the province must now fill out a declaration form.
As well, starting April 27 at noon, all travelers entering the province will be required to submit a 14-day self-isolation plan.
Dr. Fitzgerald says they are in the process of training public health staff to track and follow-up on the forms.
She says if there are any concerns with compliance, they will be referred for enforcement. If there are any concerns with the development of symptoms, it will be referred to the appropriate Regional Health Authority for follow-up.
Dr. Fitzgerald says they will assess the plans and ensure they are adequate and there is no risk of exposure to vulnerable populations.
(Illustration of ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses—such as the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19. Image courtesy CDC.)
The form will have a series of questions around the isolation plan like where you will be staying, will you be around anyone with other medical conditions, concerns around maintaining isolation, etc.
She says they would like to enable people to have as good of a plan as possible. However, the details of that are not firm at this point.
Health Minister John Haggie says the ultimate goal is to have the declaration and isolation plan information available online so people can fill the forms in and have the information they need prior to getting on a flight or boat to this province.
The Premier says there is no excuse for those returning not to be prepared.
Province Not Considering Mandatory Testing for Travelers from Kearl Lake
(Photo via Flickr through Creative Commons.)
The provincial government isn’t considering mandatory COVID-19 testing for those returning home from Kearl Lake, Alberta.
A COVID-19 outbreak in the Alberta oil sands at Kearl Lake has raised serious concerns in this province as a number of people from Newfoundland and Labrador work at the site.
As of Wednesday, 20 cases have been reported at the work camp, with reports of the virus spreading to other provinces.
Dr. Fitzgerald says they are, however, asking anyone returning to the province from Kearl Lake to call 811.
She says they are testing anyone who returns from Kearl Lake and presents symptoms.
Workers must also self-isolate for 14-days upon returning home.
