156 new cases of COVID-19 in PEI; public exposure notifications paused

Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, has announced 156 new cases of COVID-19 in PEI.

These 156 cases were identified since the last release on Friday, December 24 (52 cases on Friday, December 24; five cases on Saturday, December 25; and 99 cases on Sunday, December 26). These cases are still under investigation and contact tracing is underway. Anyone identified as a close contact will be contacted with instructions on testing and isolation requirements.

There are currently 309 active cases of COVID-19, there have been 43 new recoveries since the last release. There has been an average of 39 new cases per day over the last seven days. There have been 775 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

New public exposure notifications were posted to the provincial website this morning. Only those experiencing symptoms after visiting a public exposure site should be tested (regardless of vaccination status). Previous guidance had indicated that unvaccinated individuals who were at public exposure sites should get tested regardless of symptoms; now unvaccinated individuals should only get tested if they are experiencing symptoms.

Public exposure notifications and flight exposure notifications will now be paused due to widespread community transmission. Individuals should assume that all public places are potential public exposure sites.

It continues to be important to wear a well-fitted, triple layer mask in indoor public spaces and in outdoor public spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained; to limit exposure to others by keeping personal gathering limits to 10 steady and consistent people plus household; and to visit a drop-in testing clinic if any symptoms of COVID-19 develop, even if they are mild.

Further details on changes to the management of cases and close contacts of cases will be available soon, as well as additional booster dose clinic availability.

Due to lab testing capacity, the O’Leary testing clinic will not open tomorrow as previously scheduled.

In order to preserve the limited capacity of Health PEI testing clinics, until further notice, testing will continue to be limited to the following:

• Symptomatic individuals
• Close contacts identified by Public Health
• Confirmatory tests for individuals who test preliminary positive at a point-of-entry
• Confirmatory tests for individuals who test preliminary positive with a rapid antigen test

Individuals who do not have symptoms and who are presenting for testing related to travel (e.g., Day 4 tests) will be provided with at home rapid antigen tests, two tests to be taken 48 hours apart.

As always, all Islanders are urged to get tested if they experience any symptoms of COVID-19, even after a previous negative test, and to self-isolate until the results come back. Islanders are also encouraged to download the free national COVID Alert app, which will let them know if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Anyone age 12 and over can receive their COVID-19 vaccination at one of the Health PEI clinics or at one of the 28 partner pharmacies across the province. Island children between the ages of five and 11 can now receive their COVID-19 vaccination at Health PEI clinics. 

For information on PEI’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, including vaccine facts, immunization data and booking an appointment, visit: COVID-19 Vaccines. For answers to commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit: Answers to Common COVID-19 Vaccine Questions.

For the latest information about Prince Edward Island’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit: COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Prince Edward Island. 

Backgrounder:

The Chief Public Health Office continues to work closely with the federal government, provincial and territorial counterparts, government departments and Health PEI to monitor the pandemic situation and prepare for all COVID-19 related impacts to the province, including health, social and economic. The public health risk of COVID-19 is continually reassessed, and Islanders will be updated as new information becomes available.
 
Everyone is encouraged to follow routine prevention measures:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• Get vaccinated
• Wear a non-medical mask in indoor places
• Stay home if you are not feeling well
• Limit touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Keep your circle of contacts small
• Physical distance - stay two meters (6 feet) apart
• Don’t share items like drinking glasses and water bottles
• Frequently clean surfaces like taps, doorknobs and countertops
• Visit a drop-in-clinic to be tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms

Media Contacts:
Samantha Hughes
Health and Wellness
shughes@gov.pe.ca

Everton McLean
Health PEI
emclean@gov.pe.ca
902-213-1507