COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Saturday, Aug. 8
Walmart to require masks for all customers starting Wednesday
Walmart will require all customers and staff to wear a mask in its stores across Canada starting Wednesday.
Tamara Hubley-Little, the province's director of English education, says the school year is going to be "front-loaded" in case students have to return to learning from home. Education goals will be pursued early in the year, but Hubley-Little said it doesn't mean more homework.
The Canadian Association for Marriage and Family Therapy is offering free therapy for front-line workers to help with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Summerside is encouraging take-out from local restaurants by building picnic stations in its downtown. Last weekend, Island restaurants were so busy some had to turn away customers because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Despite the pandemic, the annual Art in the Open festival says it will be back this year with "big, bold, ambitious art installations that can be viewed from a distance, that people can experience at multiple different levels."
The Island has no active cases of COVID-19. The province has reported a total of 36 cases, with no deaths or hospitalizations.
Also in the news
- The unemployment rate on P.E.I. fell 3.5 percentage points in July, but the drop was caused by an increase in part-time work and thousands leaving the labour force.
- Charlottetown police are cracking down on motorcycle noise and speed in the downtown core — they're getting an influx of complaints from residents this summer, and attribute that to more people being home because of the pandemic.
- New numbers show Prince Edward Island business closures, which had been hovering around 200 a month for more than a year, shot to 428 in April as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
- The P.E.I. government announced its back-to-school plan for September.
Further resources
- Here is information for living with the COVID-19 pandemic on P.E.I. — including information on government relief programs, physical distancing measures, and essential health services.
- Here is a chart tracking COVID-19 numbers and a timeline of COVID-19-related events on P.E.I.