Health orders, including the closure of non-essential businesses, and mandatory self-isolation for all travelers entering the province (even from within Canada) were enacted over the days that followed.
Dr. Fitzgerald reiterated that "life will not change back to the way it was in 2019 when the special measures orders end", so Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should continue practicing physical distancing and masking where possible.
Seviour also announced that Newfoundland and Labrador is leading the country with the highest vaccination rates in kids 12 years and older, with 62.2% of those in that age group receiving all three doses.
[31] The province advanced to "Alert Level 3" on June 8, allowing the reopening of non-essential retail, in-person dining at restaurants, and "medium-risk" outdoor recreation.
[42] On November 18, 2020, Fitzgerald identified a potential outbreak at the Blue Crest Cottages retirement home in Grand Bank, with a cluster of four cases tied to the facility.
[43] On November 22, 2020, amid an increase in cases over the weekend in Newfoundland, the town council of Deer Lake issued a request for all non-essential businesses to close through December 7.
The province issued various self-isolation orders for students who had participated in gatherings or team sports within the St. John's area, and made anyone showing a COVID-19 symptom eligible to receive testing.
[58] Later that night, Fitzgerald announced that 19 samples sent to a laboratory in Winnipeg had sequenced for Lineage B.1.1.7 (the "UK variant"), and that all recent outbreaks would be assumed to have involved this strain.
Fitzgerald therefore declared a second lockdown with a province-wide rollback to Alert Level 5, including the closure of all non-essential businesses, and strict restrictions on gatherings.
However, on September 18, 2021, Dr. Fitzgerald reintroduced the mask mandate citing concerns of the highly-contagious Delta variant and the fourth wave worsening in other parts of the country.
[82] Newfoundland and Labrador Health and Community Services announced on December 13, 2021, that based on guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), the province will be changing the eligibility criteria for booster shots.
Fitzgerald also stated that officials are seeing an increase in COVID-19 activity within the province, but said "It's time to move out of crisis mode and begin a more sustainable approach to managing COVID-19 while we are able to do so."
As well, fully vaccinated asymptomatic household contacts of a positive case can follow a modified five-day isolation protocol, which includes going to work or school, but must self-isolate afterwards.
The province announced on May 26, 2022, that as of June 1, 2022, the vaccine mandate that was introduced in December 2021 for service providers and employees in certain businesses and facilities, will be lifted at this time due to favourable epidemiology.
Education Minister Tom Osborne stated during the same media briefing that in response to the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, as well as the arrival of Omicron, all schools in Newfoundland and Labrador will close two days earlier on December 21, 2021, for Christmas holidays.
[100] On January 3, 2022, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, Premier Andrew Furey, and Eastern Health Authority CEO David Diamond held an unexpected live media briefing to announce 519 new COVID-19 cases, 134 recoveries, and one new death; bringing the active caseload to 2,925 (another record).
Following days of high case numbers and active caseloads, Dr. Fitzgerald announced that the entire province will move to a modified Alert Level 4, effective midnight on January 4, 2022.
Fitzgerald asked residents to stick to their "Tight 10" in order to help a "public health system that is already running at 100% capacity in trying to identify positive-cases and their close contacts."
[110] Dr. Fitzgerald said "Our goal now is to keep flattening the curve and protecting our most vulnerable", and cautioned "we are not out of the woods yet" as the province needs another week or two to see if hospitalizations will spike like other jurisdictions.
The release stated the distribution of Rapid antigen test kits are underway and will be rolled out to students, teachers, and staff once the return date has been finalized.
[118] During a media briefing the same day, Minister Haggie was asked by The Telegram reporter Peter Jackman how many long-term care homes in the province currently have cases within their staff and residents.
However, the ministry cautioned that due to adverse weather the day prior, there were only 579 tests processed within the last 24 hours, leaving the province with a positivity rate of 19%.
[163] Public Health officials notified the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD) on October 21, 2021, that a number of students attending Sacred Heart Academy in Marystown had tested positive for COVID-19.
[166] Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Janice Fitzgerald held a media briefing on October 29, 2021, and announced that the Delta variant was the cause of the outbreak currently happening in the Marystown area.
[167] The NLESD announced on November 2, 2021, that both Anthony Paddon Elementary and Heritage Collegiate can return to a "low risk" protocol, meaning both schools will resume in-person learning.
[16] On April 22, a partial exception was introduced for employees of the agriculture, hydroelectricity, mining, oil and gas, transport, and trade sectors; they must still self-isolate from the general public for 14 days, but may attend work if they do not show any signs of COVID-19 symptoms.
[25] On May 20, 2020, the travel ban was challenged in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador by Nova Scotia resident Kim Taylor and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
He stated that "while restrictions on personal travel may cause mental anguish to some, and certainly did in the case of Ms. Taylor, the collective benefit to the population as a whole must prevail", and that "[her] right to mobility must give way to the common good.
"[174] Due to the number of cases within Atlantic Canada being relatively low, Premier of Prince Edward Island Dennis King suggested in June 2020 that a travel corridor could be formed among them as early as July.
The agreement would begin on July 3[35] On November 23, 2020, amid an increase in cases, Premier Andrew Furey announced that Newfoundland would suspend its participation in the Atlantic Bubble for 14 days.