New Brunswick asked long-haul truckers to take voluntary COVID-19 tests
In May 2020, the province began swabbing drivers at the Saint-Jacques weigh station and warned mandatory options could follow.
In late May 2020, New Brunswick began asking long-haul truck drivers to take voluntary COVID-19 tests at a provincial weigh station.
Testing started on May 28, 2020, at the Saint-Jacques scale house off Highway 2, according to a memo from Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health. More sites were to be chosen later.
How it worked
- Drivers were "strongly encouraged" to agree to a swab when asked at the scale.
- Drivers with no symptoms did not have to self-isolate while waiting for results. Anyone who tested positive would be contacted by Public Health and told to isolate.
- Long-haul drivers also got their own option when calling Tele-Care 811 to book a test, with or without symptoms.
Russell's memo warned that if enough drivers did not volunteer for this surveillance testing, her office might have to look at mandatory options.
The testing came as New Brunswick dealt with new cases in Campbellton, which had set back the province's reopening. Until then, the province had no active cases.