New Brunswick’s interim Liberal leader is floating the idea of a vaccine lottery to increase immunization rates.
It comes as the province sees what Roger Melanson describes as a “concerning” rise in COVID-19 cases, particularly in the Moncton region.
Melanson said while there has been an effort to promote the vaccine’s benefits, immunization rates increasing at a “snail’s pace” prove it is not enough.
“Other jurisdictions have developed more compelling strategies, such as lotteries, to increase vaccinations, it’s time for the Province to consider similar ideas,” Melanson said in a statement Wednesday.
As of Wednesday morning, 71.9 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers were fully vaccinated while 83.6 per cent had at least one dose.
Vaccination rates have slowed considerably since the Higgs government removed the requirement to have 75 per cent of eligible residents fully vaccinated before removing all pandemic restrictions on July 30.
Just over 3,700 vaccinations were reported to have been administered in the province on Tuesday.
3740 vaccinations reported today in #nb including 1278 first and 2462 second doses.
This is the highest single-day first-dose number since July 23.
— Oliver Dueck (@oliverdueck) August 18, 2021
According to Oliver Dueck, a Fredericton-based software engineer, New Brunswick is now on track to hit the 75 per cent target by Aug. 30 — a month after the restrictions were lifted.
Melanson said the Opposition party also hopes to see recommendations from Public Health on what best practices to adopt to protect the province from another wave.
Emergency orders are possible again if the spread of the virus is not contained, he said.
“We need recommendations on things such as masks and vaccinations that are based on science and take into consideration New Brunswick’s specific challenges,” said Melanson.
“Children will soon be returning to the classroom, students will be going back to universities and the flu season is fast approaching, there needs to be a plan in place to keep New Brunswickers safe.”
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is set to release its back-to-school plan on Friday.
