COVID-19 vaccine update; holiday travel guidance

Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, has announced no new cases of COVID-19 in PEI.  

Prince Edward Island currently has eight active cases of COVID-19 and has had 328 positive cases since the pandemic began.

As of Saturday, November 13, 94.1 per cent of the eligible population have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 89.8 per cent received two doses. 

The vaccine rates in those under 30 remains lower, with only 79 per cent of individuals age 20-29 and 81 per cent of youth age 12 to 19 years of age being fully vaccine. Those under the age of 30, who are not fully vaccinated, are encouraged to book an appointment to receive the vaccine.

Those in long term care and community care have received their booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. NACI has identified certain populations who may be at risk of decreasing vaccine effectiveness overtime so people who are immune compromised are recommended to receive a third dose of the vaccine for optimal protection.  In addition, people in the following groups are recommended for a booster, if it has been six months since their second dose: adults age 70 years and over; adults in or from First Nation, Inuit and Metis communities; and individuals who received two doses of Astra Zeneca or one dose of Janssen vaccine. Also, health care workers providing direct patient care who had an interval of 28 days or less between their first two doses are also recommended to receive a boosters six months after their second dose. Individuals who are eligible to receive a booster can book an appointment with a partner pharmacy online, with a public health clinic online or by calling the vaccine booking line at 1-844-975-3303.  

It is anticipated that Health Canada will soon approve the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. Once approved, PEI will receive 12,000 doses of pediatric COVID-19 vaccine and will begin offering immunization to children at community clinics, and then school-based clinics. Further details will be available when health Canada approves the vaccine for this age group and NACI makes further recommendations. 

PEI recently received 500 doses of Janssen vaccine, a single dose viral vector vaccine. It will be available at the following pharmacies later this week: The Medicine Shoppe in Alberton and Summerside, Murphy’s Queen Street Pharmacy in Charlottetown, Sobeys Pharmacy in Stratford and McKenna’s PharmaChoice in Montague. 

Over the weekend, the volume of incoming traffic at the Confederation Bridge was high with almost 8,500 travelers entering between Friday and Saturday. When testing capacity is reached, testing must move to contingency. Travelers who are not fully vaccinated are always tested, even when in contingency, and all travelers continue to be screened. 

Anyone who travelled to PEI by the Confederation Bridge over the weekend who was not tested at point of entry should visit a drop-in testing clinic. All individuals age 12 and over travelling to PEI should also be tested again at a drop-in clinic between day 4 and day 8. All school-aged children under the age of 12 travelling outside of PEI need a negative test before returning to school, then they should be tested again on day 4 and day 8. Anyone with symptoms should be tested, regardless of a previous negative test or vaccine status.  

When it comes to holiday travel outside of the province, it is not recommended for individuals who are not fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated individuals who travel to PEI will be required to self-isolate for eight days with testing. Those who are fully vaccinated will be required to test on entry and again between days 4 and 8, but self-isolation will not be required. Travel to and from PEI to circuit breaker areas in New Brunswick is discouraged.

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 and those age 18 years or older can visit one of the 28 partner pharmacies across the province.  

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.

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