COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Friday, July 16

Almost 40 per cent of Islanders are fully vaccinated, and cruise ships can return to Canada in November, but probably won't be in Charlottetown right away.

Charlottetown Airport expects many more passengers in August

CBC News · Posted: Jul 16, 2021 5:42 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 16, 2021

Don't expect any cruise ships in Charlottetown Harbour this year. (Randy McAndrew/CBC)

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said she expects 40 per cent of eligible Islanders to be fully vaccinated by the end of this week.

Large cruise ships will be allowed back in Canadian waters starting in November, but Port of Charlottetown doesn't expect any until the spring.

Charlottetown Airport is expecting to get busier with more flights and more passengers starting Sunday when P.E.I. opens to travellers from the rest of Canada.

Car rental fleets were cut back during the pandemic, which could lead to a shortage this summer as companies try to ramp back up.

Students and a teacher, all wearing masks, sit in a classroom. — The Public Schools Branch is looking back on how the pandemic affected student learning. (Jane Robertson/CBC)

The Public Schools Branch had to make some changes to help anxious students during the pandemic, and that will continue with more counsellors in the fall.

The province is also analyzing the results of testing this summer to assess the impact of the pandemic on student learning.

Some P.E.I. COVID-19 testing sites are shutting down as vaccination rates go up.

P.E.I. disposed of more than 3,000 expired doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine recently.

P.E.I. has no active cases of COVID-19 as of Friday, and has seen a total of 208.

Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada:

Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new COVID-19 cases on Friday, and a total of 46 active cases.
New Brunswick reported two new travel-related cases, for a total of eight active cases.
Nova Scotia had no new COVID-19 cases on Friday, and the number of active cases fell to 8.

Also in the news

P.E.I. daycares say they're in need of newer COVID-19 guidelines after the province dropped its mask mandate last week.
The P.E.I. economy did better than the national economy in 2020, according to the P.E.I. Statistical Review for the year, which was released Tuesday.
P.E.I. Finance Minister Darlene Compton is crediting Islanders for supporting local through the pandemic.

These Islanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

People over 12.
Islanders over 18 can book an appointment for Moderna vaccine at a pharmacy.

You can find more information about how to get a vaccine here.

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.