COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Friday, March 26

P.E.I. confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. All three cases are related to travel outside of the Atlantic region. 

One year after the provincial government emptied out the psychiatric wing of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to make way for COVID-19 patients, Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly says there is no plan to change the entire unit back. 

Today was budget day for the City of Charlottetown, and the numbers show the big impact the pandemic had on the city.

The province is expecting more AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine next week.

Malpeque MP Wayne Easter said it's time to come up with a plan to reopen the Canada-U.S. border.

The Charlottetown Festival is on for this summer, but the shows on stage will be smaller than usual because the mainstage auditorium capacity will be limited to 300. 

The COVID-19 pandemic means a no-go for P.E.I.'s Festival of Small Halls for the second year in a row — at least, the version we've known so far. 

P.E.I. has had 156 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, with no deaths or hospitalizations. There are now 12 active cases on the Island. 

Elsewhere in the Atlantic region on Friday: 

• New Brunswick reported 13 new cases — all in the Edmundston zone. That province currently has 99 active cases.
• Nova Scotia confirmed five new cases, plus one probable case at a junior high school. The province's total active caseload is now 27.
• Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new cases and is down to a single active case of COVID-19 for the first time in six months.

Also in the news

• In a question and answer session with P.E.I. festival and event organizers Thursday, Premier Dennis King promised P.E.I. festivals and events that need financial help will get it, on a case-by-case basis. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison also clarified what she means when she says large-scale gatherings will not be allowed this summer.
• The QEH Foundation is offering an online 50-50 draw this spring to make up for a drop in traditional community fundraising because of pandemic public health restrictions. 
• The tourism industry is disappointed but not surprised there will be no large gatherings allowed this summer.
• Prince Edward Island opened up COVID-19 vaccinations to anyone 18 to 29 years old who works with the public but some people are discovering the shots are tricky to come by. 
• WestJet says it intends to resume flying to several Eastern Canada destinations in late June. The Charlottetown-Toronto flights are expected back on June 24 after a hiatus of several months due to COVID-19.
• Six games in the Maritime Junior Hockey League have had to be postponed, after one of the Summerside Western Capitals was reported to be among recent COVID-19 cases. The team made the announcement Wednesday.
• Don't have a Prince Edward Island health card? You can still be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination on the Island. Here's how the province's policy on requiring a health card has evolved.

These Islanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

• People over 70.
• People 60-69 with certain specific serious underlying health conditions and their primary caregivers.
• People 18 to 29 who cannot work virtually and have interactions with the public.
• Firefighters, police officers, power-line workers.
• Residents and staff of long-term care homes.
• Adults living in Indigenous communities.
• Residents and staff of shared living facilities.
• Truck drivers and other rotational workers.

Further resources

• Here is a chart of COVID-19 cases on P.E.I. since March 2020, and a timeline of pandemic events.
• Here is a look at how coronavirus is spreading across Canada.

Reminder about symptoms

The symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• Fever.
• Cough or worsening of a previous cough.
• Possible loss of taste and/or smell.
• Sore throat.
• New or worsening fatigue.
• Headache.
• Shortness of breath.
• Runny nose.

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