COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Friday, Dec. 18
Changes to visitor protocols at hospitals and health-care centres
Some of the circuit-breaker restrictions brought in last week have been eased Friday. Gatherings can be larger in time for Christmas, and restaurants can reopen dining rooms.
Larger gatherings can now be held at places of worship, and hockey games can go ahead.
Health PEI outlined how it is easing restrictions for visiting in hospitals and health-care centres Friday.
Some Island businesses are celebrating the restrictions lifting early, while others say their window of opportunity has closed.
The province announced Friday that liquor deliveries allowed during the pandemic will now be permanent, with changes to liquor regulations.
P.E.I. retail sales have largely recovered from a dip caused by the pandemic, October sales figures released Friday by Statistics Canada suggest.
And gas prices, which have been closely tied to the pandemic, rose again Friday to just below the pandemic high of $1.03 on Aug. 28.
Because she is unable to hold an open house on Christmas Day this year, a bookstore owner in Summerside is giving away free books instead.
There was one new positive case announced Thursday on P.E.I., a man in his 30s who had travelled on a flight from Toronto to be with family for Christmas. He was not experiencing symptoms.
The Island has had 90 positive cases, with 17 active. There have been no deaths or hospitalizations.
Also in the news
- Some P.E.I. students are learning to sing using sign language to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- P.E.I. grew its population slightly this year, coming in second in Canada in percentage growth.
- Frosty Treat dairy bar owner Warren Ellis is giving away roast turkey dinners for a week to help Islanders affected by the pandemic.
- P.E.I. received 1,950 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week and began rolling out a massive vaccination program. Health PEI Chief of Nursing Marion Dowling says the first round went smoothly.
- P.E.I. will not further extend the deadline for property tax payments. These were deferred to the end of the year to help people struggling financially through the pandemic.
Further resources
- Here is information for living with the COVID-19 pandemic on P.E.I. — including information on government relief programs, physical distancing measures and essential health services.
- 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.