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PEI

Old Home Week no sure bet this summer

Officials with Old Home Week on P.E.I. are unsure whether the event will go ahead as usual this August.

'Right now we're kind of in a holding pattern'

A horse being led around a rink by a man in a cowboy hat.
Old Home Week is scheduled to run Aug. 14-22, but could be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. (Krystalle Ramlakhan/CBC)

Officials with Old Home Week on P.E.I. are unsure whether the event will go ahead as usual this year.

The annual fair and agricultural exhibition is held every summer and is planned this year for Aug. 14-22.

Sandra Hodder Acorn, general manager of Old Home Week, said she is waiting to see what happens over the coming months.

"Right now, we're kind of in a holding pattern," she said.

"Old Home Week has a lot of different moving parts. So, when you're talking about an event like Old Home Week, you're talking about 4-H[as] a huge component. The women's institute is a huge component as well as the harness racing, just to name a few. So, it's kind of a trickle-down effect."

Hodder Acorn said safety is most important and the festival will follow the direction it receives from the province.

The province has said it will begin to ease COVID-19 restrictions next month, but a ban on large gatherings will not be among the first restrictions lifted. Old Home Week draws thousands of people from the Island and elsewhere.

Officials with the P.E.I. Association of Exhibitions say they plan to meet with Department of Agricultural officials later this month to discuss Old Home Week and other events.

COVID-19: What you need to know

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

  • Fever.
  • Cough.
  • Tiredness.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia, which can lead to death.

Health Canada has built aself-assessment tool.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Isolate yourself and call 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested. A health professional at 811 will give you advice and instructions.

How can I protect myself?

  • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Clean regularly touched surfaces regularly.
  • Practisephysical distancing.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on thefederal government's website.

More from CBC P.E.I.

With files from Angela Walker