As the #Halloween weekend kicks off, we ask everyone to keep safety in mind.

https://twitter.com/GovNL/status/1454154305792102401

🎃 When handing out treats please wash or sanitize your hands and wear a non-medical mask when answering the door.
🎃 Drop treats into children’s bags to avoid multiple children putting their hands in a common container.

As you are aware, we currently have a COVID-19 outbreak on the Burin Peninsula. The majority of these cases are in children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for vaccination. 🧵 THREAD // (1/15)

https://twitter.com/GovNL/status/1454155841540657157

Until now, the evidence indicated that COVID-19 cases in schools were more often the result of transmission that occurred in the community. This is changing. (2/15)

⚠ Effective midnight tonight, the special measures order requiring masks in indoor public spaces will be in effect.

🧵 THREAD -- Please Retweet 🙏

Masks will be *required* in the following settings: ✅ public transit, including buses, taxis, car services and public areas of ferries;
✅ retail businesses, shopping malls, community markets and service companies;
✅ common areas of an office building that is accessible to the public;

⚠ The entire province will move to Alert Level 2 effective 12:01 am, Saturday, March 27, 2021

Thread ⤵ Since we began re-opening we have not seen evidence of increased viral transmission stemming from either the outbreak or new sources. In addition, we have not had any new non-epi-linked cases related to the outbreak in at least 28 days, which is two incubation periods.

Tomorrow marks one year since my first #covid19nfld briefing. This anniversary gives us pause to reflect on everything that has happened in the last year, both the bad and the good. We have all been impacted by this pandemic, in different ways, some of us much more profoundly. How it started.... how it's going! (Little throw back to my first COVID update!)

THREAD ⚠ Effective 12:01 am March 13, the Avalon region will move to Alert Level 4 and areas outside the Avalon will move to Alert level 3. 2️⃣ We must be mindful that while our provincial epidemiology is in a very good place, the same cannot be said outside the province. We therefore remain at risk of importation of the virus and the variants of concern that are now in greater circulation.

#IWD THREAD 🧵 Today is International Women’s Day, a day that is very near and dear to me personally. I’d like to acknowledge the remarkable women across our health care system who are working to support our COVID response. While I may be the face of the response to the pandemic, there are thousands of women across our province who have contributed to Newfoundland and Labrador’s efforts and successes. 👩‍⚕️👩‍🔬👩‍🏫👮‍♀️👩‍💼

❗️ Remember, we all possess the tools and the ability to protect against this virus and stop the outbreak. The same public health measures we have been practicing throughout the year will protect us now: 😷 Your non-medical mask is a critical layer of protection for yourself and others.

Wear it whenever you are interacting with people outside your household bubble, not just indoor public spaces.

THREAD 🧵 We have received confirmation that the outbreak in the metro area is indeed due to a COVID-19 variant of concern, specifically the B.1.1.7 variant which was first recognized in the UK. This variant is more infectious than the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. We have seen how rapidly it has spread in facilities elsewhere in the country. We know that if not controlled, it becomes the predominant strain within weeks of first appearance. This is concerning and serious. But we have the ability to overcome it.

⚠️ We are increasing restrictions in the St. John's/metro area, effective midnight tonight: ➡️ Formal gatherings such as funerals, burials, weddings, and religious and cultural ceremonies are limited to 10 people, as long as physical distancing can be maintained.

Wakes and visitations are prohibited.

THREAD 🧵

1⃣ On Monday, assuming all goes well this weekend, I will be moving our #COVID19 Alert Level down to 4. Please visit gov.nl.ca/covid-19/alert… to learn more about what that means for you. 2⃣ Gatherings of 10 ppl is acceptable in Alert Level 4, but should only occur when #PhysicalDistancing is possible. The intention is to allow for small funerals, burials, weddings. This isn't a green light to host parties -- you should remain in your bubble or your #DoubleBubble.

THREAD 🧵 Here are some key take-aways from my #COVID19 update today. We are relying on the best available information and we are gradually taking steps to relax some of the guidelines in low-risk environments and begin to live with COVID-19 in our communities. #covid19nfld 2⃣ COVID-19 is here. It is in our communities and unfortunately will be a part of our daily lives until a vaccine is available. We need to live life with the threat of COVID-19 around us.