ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador has registered two days in a row of no positive COVID-19 tests, but authorities cautioned Monday that even a week or more of low numbers should not be taken as a signal to relax.
“As long as COVID-19 is still in our community, an outbreak can occur at any time,” Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said during the first daily video briefing of the week.
“What happens next is up to each and every one of us.”
The total number of cases in the province remains at 257. Of those, six people are currently in hospital, with two in intensive care, while 191 have recovered. There have been three deaths related to the disease.
The rate of testing has increased over the past few days because of new criteria that recommend anyone with at least two of five symptoms — fever or signs of a fever, cough, headache, sore throat and runny nose — be tested.
The total number of tests conducted now stands at 6,249.
But Health Minister Dr. John Haggie said any celebrations over low numbers would be premature at this point.
“Whatever we do with this disease, it has a 14-day lag period. It is too soon to say that several days of low numbers mean we’ve beat it,” he said. “We need to wait this out to find out how we then transition to what will quite frankly be a new abnormal rather than a return to the old normal.”
Learning curve
An Angus Reid poll released Monday showed while 75 per cent of Canadians support the current emergency health measures in place, almost half feel some relaxation of restrictions would be warranted within the next two months.
Both Haggie and Fitzgerald said there is no way to tell at this stage if that’s a possibility.
“First and foremost there needs to be a period of time of slow growth before we can even consider doing anything,” Fitzgerald said.
And that, added Haggie, would be a minimum of 14 days of slow or zero growth, according to varied opinions he’s seen.
“It is a moving target,” he said. “In light of developments that have happened elsewhere, we’ll be better placed to make that determination. The challenges really are around what order one would consider reopening things, and there is work being done on that to help advise us.”
Germany, Norway and Denmark are among countries being watched by experts as they start to experiment with lifting restrictions.
“The one thing that’s certain in everyone’s mind is that when you relax these, you will see new cases. The question is when and how many,” Haggie said.
He said the department will consult with clinical scientist Proton Rahman within the next few days to revisit collaborative models Rahman released 12 days ago.
“I’m fairly confident in saying it won’t be quite the same as it was 10 days ago.”
When asked, Haggie had a stern answer to anyone who may think the government is deliberately not sharing information with the public about future plans.
“There aren’t any specific answers,” he said. “We can make stuff up … if that would help.
“The facts of the case are we don’t tell you because we don’t have a certain answer. There are no certain answers, and what we’re doing is just like everybody else. We’re looking at the best available evidence, we’re seeing what’s happened in jurisdictions that have gone before us and we are trying to apply those lessons in any and every conceivable way to Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said.
“I think the absence of answers for the general public is not because of any desire not to tell anybody. It’s simply the fact that those questions are fundamentally not answerable in a detailed way at the moment.”
Volunteer tribute
In her opening remarks Monday, Fitzgerald offered a tribute in recognition of Volunteer Week.
"I am deeply inspired by our many volunteers who are working closely with community organizations to support our most vulnerable population, volunteering daily at homeless shelters and food banks, and delivering food, essential items and medication to residents who would otherwise do without,” she said. “For your kindness and generosity, please accept my sincere appreciation and thanks.”
Premier Dwight Ball also expressed his thanks to volunteers.
Monday’s briefing opened with a few words of condolence from Ball to the people of Nova Scotia, who are grappling with the country’s worst mass shooting.
Among the 19 killed Saturday in and around the town of Portapique was RCMP Const. Heidi Stevenson, a 23-year veteran of the force and a mother of two school-age children.
“I don’t think anyone gets up in the morning and goes through the door thinking the day will end like this,” Ball said.
Flags at Confederation Building were lowered to half-mast to honour the dead.
Peter Jackson is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering health for The Telegram.