COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Tuesday, April 27

P.E.I. had no new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, but P.E.I. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison warned Islanders to take heed of what is happening in Nova Scotia in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

No new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday

CBC News · Posted: Apr 27, 2021 5:46 AM EDT | Last Updated: April 27, 2021

A tree in downtown Charlottetown contains messages of grief and hope in the pandemic. (Sheehan Desjardins/CBC)

P.E.I. had no new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, but Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison warned Islanders to take heed of what is happening in Nova Scotia in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province is still waiting for information from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization before it makes a decision on how to complete immunization of some young people who have already received a dose of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine.

Despite travel restrictions and rising COVID-19 cases, some campgrounds on P.E.I. are still receiving calls from optimistic folks in Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. hoping to pitch their tents or park their campers on the Island this summer.

Demand for lobster looks good and there is no inventory from 2020 left, bringing hope for a strong lobster season.

Charlottetown-Belvedere MLA Hannah Bell wants the tourism minister to expand the eligibility for the $3 million tourism activation grant program.

The driver of a tractor trailer was issued a $1,000 ticket Monday for violating Prince Edward Island's Public Health Act, Charlottetown police say.

A 39-year-old Prince County man who was supposed to be in self-isolation under COVID-19 rules has been charged with failing to provide a breath sample after police in Kensington suspected him of impaired driving.

After struggling through 2020, P.E.I. vehicle dealerships have seen a strong start to 2021, and trucks are leading the way.

A trend toward purchasing trucks over cars kept P.E.I. auto sales afloat during the pandemic. (John Bazemore/Associated Press)

A count of homeless people was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, but it is going ahead on P.E.I. this week.

A tree in downtown Charlottetown has become a place for people to share their grief and gratitude through what has been a difficult year for many.

P.E.I. currently has 11 active cases of COVID-19 and has had 177 positive cases. There have been two hospitalizations and no deaths.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic region Tuesday:

Nova Scotia reported 96 new cases, another single-day record for the province. There are 419 active cases and the province announced more restrictions beginning Tuesday.
New Brunswick reported 24 new cases and one death, a person in their 20s. There are 137 active cases.
Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new cases for the first time in more than two weeks. It has 24 active cases.

Also in the news

Health PEI is once again posting emergency department wait times online and in Island hospitals, after pulling the site earlier in the pandemic last summer.
Truckers and rotational workers arriving on P.E.I. are being given access to COVID-19 tests that will give them results with two hours.
Companies on P.E.I. have been turning increasingly to the Canadian Mental Health Association for help to get their employees through the pandemic.
Travel restrictions within the region have gutted traffic on Maritime Bus, but the buses will keep moving as an essential service.

These Islanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

People over 50.
People 40 to 49, with birthdays in the months of January to June.
Islanders over 16 with underlying medical conditions, and all eligible members of their household.
Pregnant Islanders.
Front-line workers over 16 who interact with the public and cannot work virtually.
People providing health-care services to the public — including optometrists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists — and their support staff.
Health-care workers not on the front line needed to maintain health-care system capacity
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.

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.