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

Tourists from all across Canada are back, and people have been sharing pictures of their reunions.

P.E.I. opens its borders to fully vaccinated Canadians as more restrictions eased

CBC News · Posted: Jul 19, 2021 6:38 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 19, 2021

'We FaceTimed everyday but you can only say "soon buddy!" so many times,' says Melanie Visser. 'My heart was filled.' (Submitted by Melanie Visser)

Visitors from across Canada began arriving on P.E.I. Sunday without the need to self-isolate — provided they are fully vaccinated.

They've been sharing pictures of how reunions have been going so far.

The crack of the bat, the chatter from the dugout and the cheers from the stands were welcome sounds in Charlottetown this weekend as senior baseball returned after a one-year absence due to COVID-19.

Tourism operators are seeing their bookings increase with the latest opening of the borders.

Charlottetown Airport is expecting to get busier with more flights and more passengers.

Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s chief public health officer, hands out gift cards as she greets visitors at Charlottetown Airport on Sunday. (Rick Gibbs/CBC)

The P.E.I. Pride Festival kicked off on Sunday with a church service, barbecue in the park and a sold out drag show at The Guild in Charlottetown. The event is more open than last year, but pandemic restrictions are still having an impact.

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

Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada:

New Brunswick reported no new case, with nine active COVID-19 cases.
Nova Scotia reported no new COVID-19 cases. There are now seven known active cases.
Newfoundland and Labrador has four new cases, and a total of 50 active cases of COVID-19

Also in the news

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.
Large cruise ships will be allowed back in Canadian waters starting in November, but Port of Charlottetown doesn't expect any until the spring.
Travelling to or within Canada? The rules have changed. Here's what you need to know.
Car rental fleets were cut back during the pandemic, which could lead to a shortage this summer as companies try to ramp back up.

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.