1 new COVID-19 death on P.E.I., 15 in hospital

P.E.I.Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison has announced one new COVID-19 related death in P.E.I.The individual was 80 or older.

"My sincere sympathy to the family and loved ones who are mourning the loss of this individual," Morrison said.

There are 15 people in hospital with COVID-19, two in intensive care, and six in hospital who were admitted for other reasons and tested positive for COVID-19 during admission or after admission.

There are 362 new COVID-19 cases, 2,225 active cases and there have been289 recoveries since Monday. Over the last sevendays there havebeen an average of 226 cases a day.

There are 20 early learning or child-care centres with cases or outbreaks. Five are open,10 areopen with modified or limited services, and five areclosed.

As of Saturday,96.6 per centof eligible Islanders12 and over have had one dose of COVID-19 vaccine,93.4 per centhave had two doses and 65.7 per cent of children five to 11 have at least one dose.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recently recommendedbooster doses for those 12-17 that are at a higher risk for severe outcomes.

Morrison said she hopes to have restrictions eased in the coming weeks, but that Islanders shouldremain cautious.

"I think we have more hope and optimism now, compared to a month ago. I do believe we'll be in a different place in a few weeks," she said.

"In the meantime we have more work to do to maintain the transmission of COVID-19."

School exposures, oral antiviral drug

P.E.I. received 200 courses of treatment of the oral antiviral COVID-19 drugPaxlovidin January. The province hopes to receive 200 more this month, and 500 in March.

Islanders at risk of hospitalization that meet a certain set of criteria will get priority access to the oral antiviral drug, Morrison said.

"Eventually it will be able to be prescribed by physicians and given out in pharmacies, but at the beginning they are prioritizing for the people most likely to be hospitalized if they test positive."

Public schools on P.E.I. resumed in-person classes on Monday. So far, there have been COVID-19 exposures at two school, Glen Stewart Primary School and EllerslieElementary School. Classes are continuing in-person at both schools Tuesday.

Parents or guardians will receive exposure notifications from the Public Schools Branch, if their child was in the same class or cohort with a positive case, Morrison said. Children exposed to a case may be named as a close contact.

"A close contact is someone who has face-to-face interaction within two metresof someone who has COVID indoors for at least 10 minutes over a 24-hour period. If both are masked during interaction it doesn't count as close contact," Morrison said.

Parents of children12 andunder will receive a call from public health nursing if their child testspositive for COVID-19.High school students will have to notify the school if they test positive.