N.L. to roll out vaccine mandates, passports

ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—Newfoundland and Labrador is aiming to introduce new COVID-19 health measures next week, including a vaccine passport and mandatory vaccination for public employees, in an effort to beat back the Delta variant.

In the meantime, the province’s acting chief medical officer of health, Dr. Rosann Seviour, announced heightened travel restrictions for partially vaccinated travellers and an end to unrestricted travel from the other three Atlantic Canadian provinces.

Public health officials are grappling with community spread in Newfoundland’s central region, where there are now two distinct outbreaks. Seviour said 143 of the 159 active reported cases in the province are in the central region, and most are associated with the outbreaks on the Baie Verte peninsula and around the community of Twillingate, both on the island’s northeast coast.

As of Thursday, partially vaccinated travellers from outside the province will have to selfisolate for at least a week and then produce a negative COVID-19 test — the same rules now in place for unvaccinated travellers.

Premier Andrew Furey said the province is in talks with public sector unions about mandatory vaccinations, and he hopes they’ll have policies in place next week.

Vaccine passports to be introduced next week will be mandatory “for all non-essential activities throughout our province,” Furey said.

The system will use QR codes, much like the technology adopted by Quebec, officials explained, adding that consultations with business owners will be ongoing throughout the week.