Marystown area returns to Alert Level 2 as N.L. reports 8 new cases of COVID-19

Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Health is reporting eight new cases of COVID-19 since Wednesday.

Of the new cases announced Friday afternoon, three are in the Eastern Health region, three are in the Central Health region and two are in the Western Health region.

In a media release, the departmentsaid six cases are contacts of a previous case, whole one case apiecein central and western Newfoundland are under investigation.

The Health Department also reported 16 new recoveries on Friday, all of them in the Eastern Health region except one outlier in the Western Health region.

One person is in hospital a result of the virus, and the province's active caseloadhas dropped to 52 active cases.

Effective immediately,areas on the Burin Peninsula will return to Alert Level 2. The province's most recent cluster in Marystown, which has 83 cases so far, promptedhealth and government officials to move the area to Alert Level 3 on Oct. 22to slow the potentialspread.

The area returning to Alert Level 2runs from Red Harbour south to Epworth-Grand Salmonier, including Jean de Baie, Spanish Room, Rock Harbour, Marystown, Beau Bois, Fox Cove-Mortier, Burin, Lewin's Cove, Frenchman's Cove and Garnish.

"This change in alert level is happening based on the public health investigation to date and the epidemiology in the region. While a source has not yet been determined, the risk to the public is deemed low," reads the Department of Health media release.

Public health officials issueda flight advisory on Friday forAir Canada Flight AC8880 leaving Halifax and arriving in Deer Lake on Oct. 29.

All passengers should arrange for COVID-19 testing by calling 811. Passengers who wereon theflight, if symptomatic, are required to self-isolate until 24 hours after their symptoms resolve and they receive a negative test result. Passengers who do not have symptoms should continue to followself-isolation rulesbased on their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Vaccine booster

Starting Monday, the province will offerCOVID-19 booster doses for certain demographics. Thechanges are based on guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, the Health Department said.

A booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is beingoffered sixmonthsafter completion of the first two doses to:

• Adults living in long-term care or other congregate settings that provide care for seniors.
• Adults 70 years old and older.
• People who have only received two doses of the AstraZeneca Vaxzevria/Covishieldvaccine.
• Peoplewho have only received one dose of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine.
• Adults who identify as Indigenous or who live in an Indigenous community.
• Adults who are front-line health-care workers who have direct in-person contact with patients and who were vaccinated with an interval ofless than 28 days.

The Department of Health saidthere are currently no booster dose recommendations for peoplewho are unable to receive an mRNA vaccine.

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