N.L. changing COVID-19 isolation requirements, introducing Pfizer bivalent vaccine

Newfoundland and Labrador is easing its COVID-19 case and contact management guidelines starting Monday at 12:01 a.m. 

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said the change is being made based on evidence from other provinces and jurisdictions. 

Starting Monday, anyone who contracts COVID-19 will not have to self-isolate for seven days.

Fitzgerald said anyone with symptoms should self-isolate at home until symptoms have improved, with no fever, for at least 24 hours. For 10 days from the date symptoms began, people should wear a mask and avoid interacting with high-risk people and groups and avoid non-essential visits to hospitals and long-term care.

If symptoms only last for a day or two, that person will only have to self-isolate for that time period.

"What we know right now, as you're starting to feel better, especially with people who are vaccinated and especially with the Omicron variant, which is causing less severe disease, we know that when those severe symptoms have passed the risk of infection does go down," said Fitzgerald. 

"We're trying to mitigate that risk as much as possible by having people wear masks for 10 days after the onset of their symptoms."

Anyone who is a close contact of a positive case of COVID-19 does not have to self-isolate but should monitor for symptoms. 

"We are exploring options to make rapid tests more accessible across the province and we should have more information about that in the coming days," said Fitzgerald.

"We heard what people were saying last spring so we certainly want to make it as available as possible and as equitably as possible." 

Watch the full Oct. 21 update:

Meanwhile, Health Canada approved the use of Pfizer's bivalent vaccine on Oct. 7 for people 12 years old and older. It's the second bivalent vaccine available, following the rollout of Moderna's version earlier this month.

Fitzgerald said Newfoundland and Labrador will begin administering the Pfizer vaccine on Oct. 28.

"Health Canada's authorization of these vaccines means that they are both safe and effective. At this time there have been no studies published to indicate one is more or less more effective than the other," she said.