COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Monday, May 31

Prince Edward Island has two new travel-related cases of COVID-19, the first since Friday, the Chief Public Health Office said Monday.  

The latest cases involved one person in their 40s and another in their 50s who had travelled outside the Atlantic region recently.

A P.E.I. student has won a national prize from the Workers Compensation Board for his video, which features dominos to remind people about COVID-19 pandemic safety.

Some COVID-19 rules restricting the size of P.E.I. funerals are easing in the weeks ahead, but physical distancing requirements will keep it challenging to hold large services over the course of the summer. 

Some P.E.I. tourism operators are expressing concern how New Brunswick's opening plan will hurt business on the Island.

New Brunswick is planning to open to the rest of Canada earlier than P.E.I., and Island businesses say that could cost them. P.E.I. Premier Dennis King is defending his plan.

Pandemic restrictions will remain a problem for many funeral homes through the summer, because they won't be able to meet new guidelines for larger services, says the P.E.I. Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association.

A plan to divert traffic coming off Confederation Bridge through Gateway Village in Borden-Carleton has excited businesses located there.

There have been 202 cases of COVID-19 on P.E.I. and 12 are considered active. There have been no deaths and two hospitalizations.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic region Sunday:

• Nova Scotia reported 20 new cases of COVID-19, with 505 active.
• New Brunswick reported nine new cases. The province has 143 active cases.
• Newfoundland and Labrador reported seven new cases and 100 active cases.  As well, a new cluster of COVID-19 cases has been found in western Newfoundland, as communities in the Stephenville area and on the Port au Port Peninsula will move to Alert Level 4.

Also in the news

• With a pandemic and drought under its boots, the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture says it's not surprised at all by the province's farm income stats for 2020: cash receipts are at an all-time high, but recent data from Statistics Canada suggests the total net farm income took a nosedive.
• P.E.I.'s reopening plan as it emerges from the pandemic is getting good reviews from the tourism industry.
• Premier Dennis King and Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced the five-step plan for reopening the province's borders Thursday. First, some restrictions will be eased on P.E.I., and by June 27 the Island should be ready to welcome visitors from the other Atlantic provinces, with rapid testing at borders. 
• King addressed concerns about long lineups to come to P.E.I. with that testing, as well as other details of the plan, in an interview with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin. 

These Islanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

• People over 12.
• Islanders over 18 can book an appointment for a 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.

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