P.E.I. businesses 'resilient' in the face of new restrictions, says chamber of commerce

All restaurants are now closed for indoor dining on Prince Edward Island following the new COVID-19 restrictions announced Sunday evening. 

Additionally, for at least the next two weeks, retail shops will remain open but are only allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity. Gyms, libraries and casinos will be closed.

Penny Walsh-McGuire, CEO of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, said she understands the decision, adding that businesses want to keep Islanders safe, follow the health protocols and "get back to business" soon.

"They're resilient, they're adaptive and they're providing ways to serve the customer that keeps people safe and we suspect they'll continue to do that over the next couple weeks," she said.

Walsh-McGuire said she was relieved to see that public health officials kept retail stores open with reduced capacity, and encouraged Islanders to keep supporting local when they're shopping this holiday season. 

"P.E.I. has been quick to take control of situations and try and limit the impact, both on Islanders' health and on business," she said. 

"However, the sooner we get ahead of this, I think, the sooner we can get back to the new normal, as we call it. So we're supportive."

She said she'll be speaking with the province about suggested business supports during this time. 

We've been very fortunate up to 10 days ago that there was nothing really happening here.— Kevin Murphy

Mirna Dow, manager of Dow's Fashions in Charlottetown, said she saw an uptick in online orders Monday, but shoppers were still coming into the store, as well.

"We thought maybe the news would scare them off, but it doesn't seem to so far," she said. "It's only early, but we've had a busy morning."

She said Dow's can offer private shopping after hours if people are not comfortable shopping while others are in the store.

"We said we'll do whatever it takes to make people happy and safe."

Kevin Murphy, president and CEO of the Murphy Hospitality Group (MHG), said the new restrictions were expected given the source of the recent cluster of cases hasn't been determined.

"It's probably the right decision right now to hopefully get control of it and get it behind us so that we can get reopened," Murphy said.

On Sunday evening, Murphy said he would be speaking with restaurant senior managers throughout MHG to come up with a plan for the next two weeks so that they can continue service for take-out and delivery. 

"We've been very fortunate up to 10 days ago that there was nothing really happening here," Murphy said. 

The next two weeks leading into Christmas will mean a "heightened stress level," he said, but he hopes by Dec. 21 that the province will have the recent cluster of cases under control and be ready to reduce restrictions at businesses.

"We'll see over the next two weeks, if everybody abides by these restrictions, then I'm confident that we will get to a point where we are saying it was the right decision."

Reminder of symptoms 

The symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• Fever.
• Cough or worsening of a previous cough.
• Possible loss of taste and/or smell.
• Sore throat.
• Headache.
• Extreme or unusual fatigue.
• Shortness of breath.
• Runny nose.

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