CUPE NB strike forces cancellation of medical appointments and procedures

New Brunswickers feel impact of strike With so many public-sector workers on strike, the impact is being felt far and wide. Laura Lyall reports.

SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Horizon Health is reporting that 1,408 appointments or procedures, along with 35 surgeries, were cancelled Tuesday in the province of New Brunswick as a result of the ongoing labour dispute.

The health authority also says that all COVID-19 assessment centres are closed with the exception of Miramichi, which is now operating at a reduced capacity, and it's expected there will be processing delays for lab and specimen collection.

"In areas where assessment centres are closed, Public Health is contacting higher risk patients, and diverting them elsewhere for testing," reads the daily status report from Horizon Health.

"Other patient referrals for testing are on hold in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John. They will be processed based on priority level and the capacity available in our system."

In Saint John, Genevieve Sweigard and her son are now in self-isolation and await a test, after receiving a possible exposure notification for his school and on the school bus. She says she signed up for a test right away and is waiting on an appointment.

"Given the circumstances with the strike, and not knowing how long until our testing is going to get done, I'm not sure how long this is going to last," says Sweigard in an interview Tuesday afternoon with CTV News.

"I've had to piecemeal information together through reputable Facebook sources, if there is such a thing, as well as word of mouth as best as possible."

When it comes to PCR testing, Public Health says that priority is being given to these groups:

In an email to CTV News, Public Health communications director Bruce Macfarlane says that the department is confident those who are most at risk, are being provided timely access to PCR testing in alternate sites in their communities.

"The wide-scale distribution of COVID-19 Point of Care Testing initiated last month, is also providing an additional layer of protection to the population during this period of disruption," Macfarlane wrote in an e-mail to CTV News.