One new case of COVID-19 in PEI; weekend travelers to PEI urged to get tested if not tested at points of entry

Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, has announced one new case of COVID-19 in Prince Edward Island.

The individual is in their 60s and recently travelled outside of PEI. Contact tracing is complete and the individual is self-isolating. 

Prince Edward Island currently has eight active cases of COVID-19 and has had 328 positive cases since the pandemic began. 

There is a flight exposure notification related to the case:

• Air Canada flight 8218 from Montreal to Charlottetown on Saturday, November 13

Anyone who travelled on this flight should monitor closely for symptoms of COVID-19 and if any develop, visit a drop-in testing site. 

As traffic volume was high at the Confederation Bridge over the weekend, it was not possible to test every traveler coming to PEI. Despite being in contingency for testing at Borden, all travelers were screened, and all individuals who were not fully vaccinated were tested.

Anyone who was not tested upon entry to PEI on the weekend, should visit a testing clinic and be tested.  As per standard procedure all individuals 12 years of age and older traveling to PEI should also be tested at a drop-in clinic between day 4 and 8. 

All school-age children under the age of 12 years who traveled outside of PEI should have a negative test prior to returning to school. In addition, they should be tested twice more on days 4 and 8.

Anyone with symptoms should be tested, regardless of a previous negative test.

There are new public exposure notifications related to an inter-jurisdictional notification of an individual who was in PEI and tested positive for COVID-19 soon after they left.

• Razzy’s Roadhouse (161 St. Peter’s Road, Charlottetown) between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm on Tuesday, November 9
• Bingo Country (33 Riverside Drive, Charlottetown) between 5:30 pm and 10:00 pm on Wednesday, November 10

Individuals who were at these locations during these times who are not fully vaccinated should visit a drop-in testing clinic to be tested and monitor for symptoms for 14 days; if symptoms develop, individuals should be re-tested.

Individuals who were at these locations during these times who are fully vaccinated should monitor for symptoms for 14 days, and if symptoms develop, visit a drop-in testing clinic.

As always, all Islanders are urged to get tested if they experience any symptoms of COVID-19, even after a previous negative test, and to self-isolate until the results come back. Islanders are also encouraged to download the free national COVID Alert app, which will let them know if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Anyone age 12 and over can receive their COVID-19 vaccination at one of the Health PEI clinics and those age 18 years or older can visit one of the 28 partner pharmacies across the province.  

For information on PEI’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, including vaccine facts, immunization data and booking an appointment, visit: COVID-19 Vaccines. For answers to commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit: Answers to Common COVID-19 Vaccine Questions.

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:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• Get vaccinated
• Wear a non-medical mask in indoor places
• 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