The New Brunswick government is hosting an update on COVID-19 today at 2:30 p.m. For the first time in forever, I'll be live-tweeting to brush up my skills.

Here is where you can watch it: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_PeECQBz3lEZG5Vod4UFrg/videos

Here we go!
We start with Dr. Jennifer Russell.

She starts by focusing on "the fire" we are seeing in Nova Scotia and the rest of the country. Russell said we need

"We need to keep fighting the flames," said Russell.

BREAKING: An individual in their 20s from the Moncton region (Zone 1) has died with complications from COVID-19. This is the youngest person to die from the virus in New Brunswick.

Russell said we have the three main variants in the province – the U.K. variant, the South African variant and the India variant.

She reminds residents to follow the directions of Public Health if the agency identifies them as a possible contact of COVID-19.

Public Health is watching the India variant closely. They are closely monitoring the situation in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) after a confirmed outbreak at UNB.

Russell said it could mean tighter restrictions to reduce the spread of the virus.

As mentioned earlier in the morning, Horizon Health will hold a testing clinic in Nackawic. More information on that is available on the province's website.

New Brunswick Public Health is reporting 24 new cases of COVID-19 in the province. Here's how they break down:

Zone 1: two new cases (one foreign worker, one under investigation)
Zone 3: one new case (under investigation)
Zone 4: 21 new cases (contacts of existing cases)

Russell said Public Health is advising students and staff of George Street school in Fredericton to isolate. Testing will be mandatory for those folks, and officials will contact any potential contacts.

"No news is good news," said Russell.

More than one-third of New Brunswickers have received a dose of COVID-19 vaccines. Russell said these measures are saving our health care system.

"Embrace hope wherever you find it," said Russell.

Premier Blaine Higgs speaks. He offers condolences for the young adult from the Moncton region who passed away with COVID-19.

Vaccine efforts are ramping up as those aged 60 or older can schedule appointments. 34 per cent have been vaccinated, the biggest in the Maritimes.

As of midnight tonight, the Edmundston-Madawaska region will move out of lockdown and is hopeful that the area will progress in the right direction.

Higgs also said the province will continue to keep a close eye on Zone 3 as well as border crossings.

Higg said with new health measures, truckers and cross-border commuters must follow public health guidelines and modified isolation rules.

Essentially, when they aren't working, stay at home. But others in the household don't have to isolate themselves.

Rotational workers, however, still need to isolate for the full 14 days. This comes less than a week after the province mandated isolation in hotels. Higgs reminds residents the restrictions are frustrating.

"It's easy to forget what could happen if we didn't," said Higgs.

The province's success hasn't been accidental, said Higgs. He says while the sacrifices have been tough, the government needed to take stronger measures to protect New Brunswick from the virus and its variants.

On the mandatory hotel isolation period for seven days, Higgs said travellers still need to register online. But he encourages travellers to find other solutions and wait it out.

"[If you have other travel options], we don't want you to travel back to New Brunswick," said Higgs.

As of this morning, 59 isolation rooms have been booked, according to the Red Cross. Higgs says he has heard residents would rather face fines than isolate themselves in hotels. Those have been increased to $580.50.

"Let's not take the risk," said Higgs. "It's not worth it."

Higgs hopes the tougher restrictions are only in place for the short term, and he acknowledges they're "far from convenient." He says more residents are being vaccinated, and he thanks those for their vigilance.

"Everyday, we are closer to the end of this pandemic," said Higgs.

We're now moving to questions from the press. Sadly, I am not on the phone call, so that's all from me today.

Thanks for joining me on this thread. Stay safe.