Updated visitor guidelines at hospitals and health care facilities for those travelling from outside extended Atlantic Bubble

Thursday, July 15, 2021 – Vitalité and Horizon Health Networks wish to advise the public that effective Thursday, July 15 entry to hospitals and health care facilities to visit patients will open to Canadian and international visitors travelling from outside of the extended Atlantic Bubble.

Visitation guidelines are based where a visitor is travelling from and whether or not they have been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

These updated guidelines are being implemented based on the recommendations of the Infectious Disease/Infection Prevention and Control (ID/IPC) teams from both Regional Health Authorities (RHAs).

Before entering, Canadian and international visitors from outside the extended Atlantic Bubble who wish to visit a patient in a hospital or health care facility must:

  • provide proof of vaccination with two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, and it must be at least 14 days after their second dose;
  • provide proof of a negative COVID-19 result after entering the province and prior to each visit, and agree to be tested again on days 5 and 10;
  • provide proof of approval to travel to New Brunswick through the New Brunswick Travel Registration Program;
  • provide personal identification (ID) that matches their immunization record and travel registration; and
  • follow New Brunswick Public Health (PH) measures and Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) policies, such as: monitoring themselves for COVID-19 symptoms before each visit, wearing a mask at all times, maintaining physical distancing and cleaning their hands frequently.

International travellers are also subject to federal requirements to enter Canada, and where provincial and federal requirements differ, the most stringent requirements must be followed. Before entering, anyone from a higher risk area within the extended Atlantic Bubble (i.e. an increase in COVID-19 cases) who wishes to visit a patient in a hospital or health care facility must:

  • provide proof of vaccination with two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, and it must be at least 14 days after their second dose;
  • provide proof of a negative COVID-19 result after entering the province and prior to each visit, and agree to be tested again on days 5 and 10;
  • provide personal identification (ID) that matches their immunization record and travel registration; and
  • follow New Brunswick Public Health (PH) measures and IPC policies, such as: monitoring themselves for COVID-19 symptoms before each visit, wearing a mask at all times, maintaining physical distancing and cleaning their hands frequently.

Anyone from outside the extended Atlantic Bubble who wishes to visit a facility who cannot provide proof they are fully vaccinated may visit 14 days after entering the province. They must be asymptomatic, and follow all PH and IPC guidelines. No further testing is required.

The extended Atlantic Bubble includes New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Avignon and Témiscouata regions of Quebec and Listuguj First Nation in Quebec.

All visitors to New Brunswick health care facilities will continue to be subjected to active screening prior to entry. Daily visitation hours will continue to take place between 2 and 8 p.m.

Complete details on visitor guidelines can be found on Horizon and Vitalité websites.