COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening the week of Sept. 6

P.E.I. reported four new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Three of the cases were children under the age of 10. The province said none of the children had been in any school or child care facility.

Emergency department doctor Trevor Jain says he has confidence in the precautions in place in the P.E.I. school system.

The demand for vaccines in the province remains strong, say pharmacists.

The UPEI Faculty Association and the union representing maintenance staff say members have been left in the dark when it comes to the school's COVID-19 operational plan, putting staff and students at risk. 

Officials announced a new case of COVID-19 with a flight notification Wednesday. 

Many public health measures will remain in place on P.E.I. as the fourth wave of COVID-19 continues to spread, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced in a public health briefing Tuesday.

It was a busy weekend at the P.E.I. border with New Brunswick, and the province says it turned back some travellers who did not have a P.E.I. Pass.

It's back to school week on P.E.I., and your children may be a little more anxious than usual. Here are some ways to help.

There are currently seven active cases out of a total of 240 since the pandemic began. 

As of Wednesday, Sept. 8, 92 per cent of eligible Island residents had received at least one dose of vaccine and 83.1 per cent had received two doses. 

Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada

• Newfoundland and Labrador reported 12 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, increasing the province's active COVID-19 caseload to 45.
• New Brunswick announced 24 new cases Friday. The province's total active case count is now 136.
• Nova Scotia reported 11 new cases Friday, for a total of 78 active cases.

Also in the news

• A visitor to P.E.I. from another Atlantic province tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting at least six sites on the Island while they may have been infectious. Find a list of the sites here.
• Take-home COVID-19 testing kits the province plans to roll out in schools as part of a pilot program will be handed out this week and will focus on rural areas.
• New testing requirements for unvaccinated staff in the Island's long-term care and community care facilities were announced Wednesday.
• Faculty and staff are responding to UPEI's plans to have most classes in person this fall. The university said 75 per cent of classes will be in person, but it will vary by department.
• Both UPEI and Holland College say they are making vaccines mandatory for students and staff. Dr. Morrison said vaccine clinics will soon be set up at those two campuses.

These Islanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

• People over 12.
• Islanders over 18 can book an appointment to receive the 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.