169 health care workers join front lines on P.E.I. during pandemic
Dozens of retired workers are returning to help
There are 169 health care workers, including doctors, nurses and other professionals, joining the front lines on P.E.I. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In all, 23 physicians, 54 registered nurses, 43 resident care workers, 16 licensed practical nurses, three respiratory therapists, 15 physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and 15 other health care professionals have offered their services during the pandemic.
There are also 17 new cleaners and 91 volunteers that have stepped up.
Those extra workers include dozens of retired workers, some working in other provinces, and others working in private settings, who offered to work with Health PEI during the pandemic.
The province put out the call for extra help last month, soon after COVID-19 was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11.
By March 19 the province had already heard from 26 retirees offering to help and the calls have continued ever since.