New Brunswick to Lift All COVID-19 Restrictions Including Mask Mandates Effective March 14th

New Brunswick is lifting all remaining mandatory COVID-19 measures on Monday, March 14, at 12:01 a.m.

Restrictions to be lifted on Monday include:

Residents will no longer be required to wear masks in public spaces
No limit in the size of gatherings
All businesses and organizations will be permitted to operate at full capacity without the requirement for physical distancing
Physical education and music classes in schools will return to normal
Proof of vaccination is no longer required to participate in any extracurricular or intramural activities, clubs or sports in schools.

The province will also be lifting restrictions in schools when students return from March break on Monday, March 14. However, students and staff who wish to continue wearing a mask may continue to do so as schools will ensure they maintain a supportive environment for everyone. According to the news release, families and school staff will no longer be required to self-report cases of COVID-19 to schools and child-care facilities as part of their own contact tracing and the department will no longer report on the number of cases in schools or in child-care facilities.

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The province is also lifting isolation requirements for the general public. People who reside in long-term care facilities, shelters, and correctional facilities and who test positive for COVID-19 are required to isolate for five days.

“With the vaccination uptake in the province, the ongoing management of our hospitals, and the commitment of New Brunswickers over the past two years, we are able to remove mandatory restrictions,” said Dr. Yves Léger, acting deputy chief medical officer of health. “The virus has not left the province but as we move forward, I am confident that we can take the lessons we have learned throughout this pandemic and manage our personal risks and protect ourselves and those around us.”

The province says though mandatory restrictions are lifted, the businesses and facilities may choose to maintain their own policies on public health practices.