For first time in a month, N.L. reports a single new case of COVID-19

Newfoundland and Labrador reportedonly one new caseof COVID-19 on Friday, a personin the Eastern Health region who is a close contact of a previously known case.

The province also reported nine new recoveries in the last 24 hours all in the Eastern Health region leaving 113 active cases.

The last day the province saw a single new case was Feb. 7.

"I think people have listened, and I think this certainly scared people to see 100 cases in a day," saidChief Medical Officer of Health Dr. JaniceFitzgerald, referring to a peak number of cases that helped send the province into full lockdownin mid-February.

"I think people really took it seriously. SoI'm really happy and grateful for that, because all of that helped to get us where we are."

Fitzgerald also announced that Eastern Health is nowofferingvoluntary testing to anyone without symptoms, knowing that many who had tested positive during the recent outbreak had no symptoms at all.

"This surveillance will help us determine whether there are any pockets of COVID-19 that have gone undetected. It will also help us in our decision in easing restrictions further," she said.

Testing centres in Mount Pearl, St. John's, Burin, Harbour Grace and Clarenville are now accepting appointments for anyone who is asymptomatic who would like a test.Additional mobile testing clinics will take place in Trepassey, Bonavista, Placentiaand downtown St. John's over the next week.

With single new case, N.L.'s active COVID-19 caseload drops again

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Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says another expansion is coming to vaccination plan

"The continued low case counts we have seen this week is very encouraging, particularly given that they are the results of travel or contacts of other confirmed cases," Fitzgerald said during Friday's briefing.

"While we remain optimistic, it is important for us to have confidence that the risk of community spread has reduced, so we can begin easing of restrictions both on and off the Avalon."

People must still use the online assessment tool for booking an appoint and select bothof these options: "I do not have symptoms" and "Yes, I require a test." Booking a test through 811 is also still available.

Seven people are in hospital due to the virus.

To date, 114,211 people have been tested. Friday's report markedan increase of 282 since Thursday's update.

The Trepassey Community Health Clinic will reopen next week, althoughit is not yet clear on what day. It was closed after a health-care worker tested positive for COVID-19.

It turns out the positive case in that clinic was related to the outbreak on a wardat St. Clare's Mercy Hospital in St. John's.Contact tracing continues and virtual appointments will continue throughout next week until the clinic reopens its doors.

Vaccine plan rolls on

Meanwhile, Fitzgerald said there ismore good news for the continued vaccine rollout plan, which dramatically ramped up earlier this week.

She said the initial shipment of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine will be offered to first responders and front-line essential workers.

"These individuals are critical to the protection of lives and safety in our communities, as well as essential to the societal functioning that has to persist regardless of the prevalence of COVID," she said.

"[The]AstraZenecavaccine has been approved for those under 65 years of age, which aligns well with the demographics of these priority groups."

Fitzgerald said she expects vaccinations will begin as soon asthe first shipment arrives.

Watch the full March 5 update:

As well, Health Canada approved another vaccine on Friday, bringing the availablevaccine totalto four.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single-dose shot, adding another safe and effective option for provinces and territories, Fitzgerald said.

The shot is approved for the use inpeople over 18 years old, and can be stored between 2 C and 8 C, making it easier to transport and store, as it needs only to be refrigerated and not stored in ultra-cold freezers.

Fitzgerald said the province does not yet have confirmation onhow many doses it will receive, nor a timeline for receiving them.

People will have a choice between which vaccine they want, but Fitzgerald said she hopes they will take the opportunitywhen one is offered to them.

"All these vaccines are safe and effective, and will reduce the risk of severe disease significantly. So we have to remember that these are all effective vaccines," she said.

Meanwhile, she said, nearly 60,000 people are now pre-registered for a COVID-19 vaccine in the 70-and-older age group.

Friday marks three weeks since Fitzgerald declared Alert Level 5. While other parts of the province moved to Alert Level 4 on Feb. 26, the Avalon Peninsula remains in the strictest level.

Fitzgerald had said she will provide an update on possibly moving out of that on March 12.

'A new summer'

Health Minister John Haggiesaid with the position the province is in with extensive testingthere's areal possibility for what he called "a new summer" this year.

Haggie said staycations and a summer season started late last year as the province worked its way through the alert level system.

He said he isoptimistic things could start on time this year.

"I really think that by the end of summer there will be some serious consideration, maybe, of going back to Alert Level 1, which we've never been to yet," he said.

"But again, this is all speculative. We need to check on our surveillance and we need to have this trend, as very optimistic as it is, maintained and roll out our vaccines.

"The only thing that's holding us back with vaccines is vaccine supply."

When asked how close to "normal" the province will be by mid-summer, Fitzgerald said she doesn't know. However, she said, even if 80 per cent of the province gets protected from severe disease, that means should the virus still bein the community, hospital capacity will beprotected and public safety will be improved.

"Even if it doesn't do anything with transmission, that's still really important," she said.

85 and older? Sign up for vaccine

Both Western Health and Central Health will begin contacting those over 85 years old who have pre-registered for a vaccine to begin booking appointments for administration.

The vaccination will be provided inPort Saunders, Norris Point, Deer Lake, Corner Brook, Stephenville, Port aux Basques and Burgeo.More communities will be added as the rollout continues.

People must have an appointment and you have to pre-register to get the vaccine.

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