COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Wednesday, April 21

Nearly three-quarters of Health PEI's 6,000 staff members have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, Prince Edward Island's premier said in the legislature Wednesday.

A Summerside native who's managing a health-care team at a west Toronto hospital saysfears of not being able to cope with COVID-19 patients were not realized last year, but the third wave of the pandemic is proving they were justified.

COVID-19 logistics have led to too many moves for Queen Elizabeth Hospital patients living with dementia, says a Liberal MLA.

The North Shore community of North Rusticois cancelling most of its major Canada Day events this year to comply with public health restrictions.

This year's UPEInursing graduates have a lot of options to choose from as they enter the workforce.

Nurses in Atlantic Canada are being asked to help as the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hits Ontario hard and some on P.E.I. are starting to step forward.

The child who was hospitalized due to COVID-19 has been discharged, the Chief Public Health Office confirmed. It also reported one new case of COVID-19.

The 2021 edition of the Cavendish Beach Music Festival has been cancelled, after organizers decided public health requirements would still not permit a large-scale event by the time the July 9-11 weekend rolled around.

Nova Scotia is placing new restrictions on who can travel to the province, with exceptions for residents of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, where COVID-19 case counts are low.

A P.E.I. tourism operator is concerned that the federal budget is decreasing support for the industry.

Liberal MP Sean Casey says the support will be there if it is needed.

The Island has seen 174cases of COVID-19. Thirteenare considered active. There have been two hospitalizations and no deaths.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic region Wednesday:

• New Brunswick has lost another resident to COVID-19, with a person in their 60s from the Saint John area succumbing to the illness. Seven new cases were also reported Wednesday, and there are 138 active cases.
• Nova Scotia had 25 new cases Wednesday the highest one-day total since Nov. 23andis coping with 79 active cases. Three people are in hospital with COVID-19.
• Newfoundland and Labrador has one new case, and remains at 27 active cases because of a recovery.

Also in the news

• P.E.I. has implemented new measures to prevent the importation of COVID-19, and is advising Islanders to avoid non-essential travel off-Island.
• Dr. Michael Gardam, COO of Health PEI, says he hopes the new measures will prevent further hospitalizations.
• A new study is examining the experience of Islanders in their 20s during the pandemic.
• Summerside police say five people have been charged for failing to self-isolate less than an hour after their arrival in P.E.I. on Friday night.

TheseIslanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

• People over 50.
• Islanders over the age of 16 with underlying medical conditions, and all eligible members of their household.
• Frontline workers over the age of 40 who interact with the public and cannot work virtually.
• People providing health care services to the public includingoptometrists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and their support staff.
• Non-frontline health care workers needed to maintain health care system capacity
• Firefighters, police officers, power-line workers.
• Residents and staff of long-term care homes.
• Adults living in Indigenous communities.
• Residents and staff of shared living facilities.
• Truck drivers and other rotational workers.

You can find more information about how to get a vaccine here.

Further resources

• Here isa chart of COVID-19 cases on P.E.I. since March 2020, and a timelineof pandemic events.
• Here is a look at how coronavirus isspreading 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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