New requirements for staff of Long Term Care and Community Care facilities 

Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, has announced new requirements for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated staff of Long Term Care (LTC) and Community Care Facilities (CCF) in Prince Edward Island. 

Effective Friday, September 3, regular testing of unvaccinated and partially vaccinated staff working in these facilities will be required. Staff who choose not to be vaccinated or are unable to be vaccinated will have the option to be routinely tested every shift, to a maximum of three times per week.  If unvaccinated individuals follow testing and masking requirements, they can continue to work in the facilities. Testing of unvaccinated staff will be monitored and reported weekly to the Chief Public Health Office. 

“We know that residents of long term care and community care facilities are at high risk of serious outcomes related to COVID-19. Although the vaccine rate among residents in these facilities is high, there are some in which the staff vaccine rate is too low. By adding these new requirements for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated staff, it is another layer of protection in addition to masks, staying home when feeling unwell, and good hand hygiene. Our aim is to protect residents of long term care and community care from the highly infectious and transmissible Delta variant.”

- Dr. Heather Morrison 

Eligible staff continue to be encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19, as being fully vaccinated is still the most effective protection for them, their families, and the residents in care facilities. 

Prince Edward Island currently has eight active cases of COVID-19 and has had 233 positive cases since the onset of the pandemic. Information about the province’s COVID-19 cases is available online.

As of Saturday, August 28, a total of 241, 495 doses of vaccine have been administered. 91.2 per cent of the eligible population have received at least one dose of vaccine and 80.6 per cent have received two doses.

Islanders are encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and every Island resident 12 and older who wants to be immunized can access vaccine at Health PEI Walk-In COVID. Vaccination Clinics or at participating pharmacies. Information on PEI’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out is available online.

Backgrounder: 

The Chief Public Health Office continues to work closely with the federal government, provincial and territorial counterparts, government departments and Health PEI to monitor the pandemic situation and prepare for all COVID-19 related impacts to the province, including health, social and economic. The public health risk of COVID-19 is continually reassessed, and Islanders will be updated as new information becomes available.

Everyone is encouraged to follow routine prevention measures:

• Get vaccinated
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water 
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• Stay home if you are not feeling well
• Limit touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Keep your circle of contacts small
• Physical distance - stay two meters (6 feet) apart
• Don’t share items like drinking glasses and water bottles
• Frequently clean surfaces like taps, doorknobs and countertops
• Visit a drop-in-clinic to be tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms

Media Contact:
Samantha Hughes
Health and Wellness
shughes@gov.pe.ca