The province’s mask mandate is set for review next week, but until then it remains in place.
Newfoundland and Labrador entered Phase two of its reopening plan, but the mask mandate will not be reviewed until August 9, as concerns about the Delta variant are causing apprehension.
If the restrictions do ease on August 9, masks may still be mandatory in certain instances to protect vulnerable populations, such as those in long-term care homes. Dr. Fitzgerald says those restrictions will ease when 80 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.
She states there is still a risk, especially for older people who may not form as strong of an immune response, so they want them to be as protected as possible.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald says it is concerning that 17 per cent of eligible residents in the province have not received their first dose.
She says the virus doesn’t know who is eligible for the shot and who’s not. She says around 48 per cent of the population has been vaccinated.