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

It's been two years since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. Here are some of the major events that have shaped the pandemic on P.E.I.

Eight people were being treated at hospitals for COVID-19 as of Friday, according to data released on the province's website. Nine others who had been hospitalized for other reasons also tested positive.

On Wednesday, five individuals were being treated for COVID-19 and 10 other patients who were admitted for other reasons also had tested positive.

There have been 798 new COVID-19 cases since the province's last update on Wednesday, and there are 4,913 active cases as of Friday. P.EI. is averaging 486 cases per day over the last seven days.

On Tuesday, P.E.I. changed COVID-19 testing requirements. It said you should get tested if you are symptomatic and have no known exposure to COVID-19, or symptomatic and work or live in a high-risk setting, or are at higher risk for severe COVID outcomes.

You do not need to be tested if you are a symptomatic close contact with a known exposure to COVID-19 and are not high risk for serious outcomes. You can assume you are positive, the province said. You also do not need to be tested if you are a close contact but have no symptoms, unless you work or live in a high-risk setting.  

Symptomatic close contacts of a positive case who are over 50, under five years old, pregnant, not eligible for vaccines or immunocompromised, should get tested at a clinic because of the possibility of more severe outcomes.

The Green Party says the change to testing requirements could complicate workers' compensation claims.

Some Islanders CBC News talked to about the new testing rules said the changes "make sense."

But a woman on P.E.I. who is immunocompromised is worried about the province's decision.

The Easter Beef Show is preparing to return this year.

Charlottetown's soup kitchen opened for inside dining for the first time since December.

With about 150 school staff at home because of the Omicron wave, concerns were raised in the legislature Tuesday about the ability of those still going to work to cope.

Tourism operators in Prince Edward Island can now take advantage of a new training and certification program aimed at safety-conscious visitors as the Island looks to reopen amid the ongoing pandemic.

Dr. Heather Morrison held an unscheduled briefing on COVID-19 Tuesday to outline changes to testing protocols on P.E.I., needed because testing facilities can't keep up with demand. The CPHO says most asymptomatic close contacts no longer need Day 4 tests.

The fact that one in 40 Islanders is now counted as a confirmed, active case is "certainly eye-popping," said infection control epidemiologist Colin Furness, a professor at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Trevor Jain joined CBC News: Compass to answer questions on health care on his Talk to the Doc segment, pointing out that right now 20 to 24 per cent of emergency room visits on P.E.I. right now are mental health-related. 

P.E.I. launched a new tourism strategy and $5 million marketing campaign Friday that it hopes will cash in on a pent-up demand for travel after two tough years due to COVID-19. In the meantime, the industry is getting ready for the summer season, with a tourism job fair held on Saturday in Charlottetown attracting hundreds of job seekers.

In an interview with CBC News: Compass, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said cases of COVID-19 have surged on P.E.I. because of relaxed public health measures, and that was expected. She says although cases are high, hospitalizations remain relatively low. 

The province has said it would be providing less frequent COVID-19 updates going forward, with updates now scheduled for Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Public exposure and flight notifications have been paused by the provincial government. Under current conditions, the province says all public places should be considered potential exposure sites.

The Public Schools Branch has also stopped posting potential exposure notifications on its website. It said with the rise in COVID-19 cases across the province, potential exposures can be assumed at all schools.

Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada

• New Brunswick reported another COVID-related death on Friday and 103 hospitalizations. The province also announced it will seek an independent review of its response to the pandemic as it prepares to lift all restrictions on Monday.
• Nova Scotia reported five deaths related to COVID-19 in a weekly update on Thursday. There were 50 people in hospital with the disease.
• Newfoundland and Labrador said in its last scheduled update that four people have died as a result of COVID-19. Twenty-two people are hospitalized. The province will lift all public health restrictions on Monday.

Top news from last week

• P.E.I. has discontinued the Vax Pass and is removing isolation requirements for unvaccinated travellers. That's a relief for some. For others, it's a cause for concern.
• Music P.E.I. Week concerts, which were supposed to begin Wednesday, have been cancelled for this year due to too many COVID-19 cases.
• MLAs unanimously passed a motion in the legislature asking the province to investigate the consequences of long COVID.
• Some Islanders are taking it upon themselves to ask for proof of vaccination from customers at their businesses despite it no longer being a requirement across the province.
• UPEI and Holland College have announced they will be keeping their vaccination policies in place at least until the end of the semester.

Other helpful stories

• A timeline of pandemic events on P.E.I.
• How to treat yourself at home if you get COVID-19
• Here is the latest pandemic mask advice
• Your COVID-19 rapid test is positive. Now what?
• P.E.I. government bringing back pandemic supports for workers
• My family caught COVID-19. Here's what I wish I'd known
• Why COVID-19 vaccination exemptions are rare on P.E.I.

These Islanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

• Anyone aged five and up.
• Third shots are available for Islanders 12 and older, six months following their second shot.
• Islanders can book an appointment to receive the vaccine at a pharmacy or a public health clinic.
• You can find more information about how to get a vaccine here.

Reminder about symptoms

The symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• New or worsening cough.
• Fever and/or chills.
• Sore throat.
• Runny nose, sneezing or congestion.
• Headache.
• Muscle, joint or body aches.
• Feeling unwell or unusually tired.
• Acute loss of sense of smell or taste.