Measures in Step One of Moving On Plan now in Effect; PEI COVID-19 Update for Thursday, February 17

As Prince Edward Island’s Step One of the Moving On Plan begins, fully vaccinated travelers into PEI are no longer required to self isolate and personal and organized gathering numbers have increased. 

The following public health measures are now in effect:

• Personal gatherings may include up to 20 people
• Organized gatherings may include up to 50 per cent capacity in venue, with space maximized to spread people out as much as possible 
• Sport and recreational activities may include up to 50 participants each day
• Restaurants, fitness facilities, retail and other venues may operate at 50 per cent capacity with space maximized to spread people out as much as possible 
• In-room dining with maximum table size of 20 people and no restriction on closing time
• PEI Vax Pass still in effect for discretionary activities 
• No isolation for fully vaccinated travelers arriving in PEI, with testing

As part of easing measures in Step One of Moving On: Transition Plan to Living with COVID-19 there are immediate changes to visitation in long term care homes and community care homes:

• Resume three designated visitors (in addition to the current three partners in care)
• Entertainment in homes may resume following enhanced measures and testing
• Other service providers, such as hairdressers, seamstresses and non-essential foot care, can resume with testing
• Church services can resume in homes
• Fully vaccinated residents (with booster doses) can attend church in the community with a partner in care
• Residents who are fully vaccinated with booster can go for drives with partner in care
• Volunteers have already resumed in homes and can continue
• Homes with outbreaks will continue to have enhanced measures in place, with one partner in care 

Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, has announced there are two people in hospital due to COVID-19 and one person in hospital who was admitted for other reasons and was COVID positive on admission or tested positive after being admitted.

As of 8:00 am on Thursday, February 17, there are 310 new cases of COVID-19. These new cases are still under investigation. 

There are currently 2,148 active cases of COVID-19 and there have been 11,257 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Over the last seven days there have been an average of 213 cases per day. 

The outbreaks at the Community Hospital O’Leary and Prince County Correctional Center are now declared over. 

Update on the locations of current outbreaks in high-risk settings:

• Long Term Care Facilities (three facilities with outbreaks):
  • Andrews of Park West
  • Clinton View Lodge 
  • South Shore Villa 
• Community Care Facilities:
  • Corrigan Home 
• Early Learning and Child Care Centres:
  • 21 centres with cases or outbreaks of COVID-19
  • 13 centres open
  • Two centres closed
  • Six centres operating at a modified or reduced capacity

Island schools with cases are listed on the Public Schools Branch and Commission scolaire de langue française websites. 

As of Sunday, February 13, 97 per cent of Island residents over the age of 12 years received at least one dose of vaccine and 93.7 per cent were fully vaccinated. 68.6 per cent of children ages 5 to 11 had one dose of vaccine. Almost 70,000 third doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.

Health PEI is urging eligible Islanders who are not yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to take advantage of the many appointments still available at clinics across the province over the next week, including hundreds of walk-in opportunities to get a booster dose. 

Anyone 12 years of age and older can get their COVID-19 vaccination – first and second dose – at a Health PEI vaccination clinic or at one of the many partner pharmacies across the province. Booster doses are also being offered at clinics and partner pharmacies to those 18 years of age and older who received their second dose five and a half months earlier.  Island children 5 to 11 years of age can receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a Health PEI vaccination clinic.

Until further notice, testing at Health PEI COVID-19 testing clinics will continue to be limited to the following:

• Symptomatic individuals
• Close contacts of positive cases 
• Confirmatory tests for individuals who test preliminary positive with a rapid antigen test 

Individuals who do not have symptoms do not require testing (unless in one of the above categories). Those who are presenting for testing related to travel (for example: day 4 tests) will be provided with at home rapid antigen tests, two tests to be taken 48 hours apart.

Individuals who are isolating and require supports are encouraged to dial 2-1-1 to be directed to nearby community support systems, or provincial government service offices.  This assistance includes help with securing food, personal prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and other emergency situations. The program operates on a self-referral basis.  More information is available here. 

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. 

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:

• Get vaccinated
• Wear a properly fitted, three-layer mask in indoor public places and in outdoor public places where physical distancing from others cannot be maintained
• Keep your circle of contacts small
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• Stay home if you are not feeling well
• Limit touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• 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
(902) 316-1323
shughes@gov.pe.ca