Stay home if feeling unwell

Dr. Heather Morrison reminds workers to protect each other and get tested

The province’s chief public health officer is advising P.E.I. residents to stay home if they’re feeling sick.

Dr. Heather Morrison made the recommendation at her regularly scheduled COVID-19 media briefing in Charlottetown on Nov. 30. It comes after one case discovered on Nov. 17 grew into a cluster of 28 cases across the province. The Chief Public Health Office is following 315 close contacts linked to these cases, said Morrison.

Since mid-November, P.E.I. has reported 45 cases, including outbreaks in three workplaces, said Morrison, who added none of these were public exposure sites.

Morrison topped her briefing with three key points.

“If you are sick, the very best thing you can do to protect yourself and others is to stay home, other than to seek health-care services,” said Morrison, who added this also means avoiding public events and gatherings.

Second, anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19, she said, even mild ones should go to a testing clinic to be tested, regardless of vaccine status.

Third, said Morrison, those who travel out of the province, and are not tested at the point of entry in P.E.I., should be sure to visit a testing clinic or complete a rapid antigen screening test and be tested again at a drop-in testing clinic if they get symptoms, as well as between day four and day eight.

“I think if we all do our part to try to adhere to these three points and continue to vaccinate people as much as possible, as a province, we will be more successful in limiting importation of COVID-19 and containing transmission,”

said Morrison.

Morrison also said employers should have basic public health measures in place to protect staff such as a mask policy, physical barriers where appropriate and physical distancing. Hand hygiene supplies and products for cleaning of frequently touched surfaces should also be available, said Morrison.

“Employers should encourage staff who are not feeling well to stay home and not attend work,” she said. “To the extent possible, employers should do what they can to support their employees who are sick and unable to come to work.

COVID-19 infections are on the rise in Canada, said Morrison. There were 729 new cases in the Atlantic region in the last week and nationally, cases increased 16 per cent.

OMICRON

Also at the briefing, Morrison discussed the Omicron variant, which was discovered recently.

“Omicron is a concerning variant because it has a high number of mutations,” she said. “Originally detected in south African countries, it has now been detected in a number of other countries including at least two provinces in Canada. To date, there are no cases of the Omicron variant here in P.E.I.”

Omicron is new and there is still much to be learned, but it appears to spread rapidly, said Morrison.

“Decisions regarding enhanced testing or isolation measures for people travelling to P.E.I. from other countries will be made based on the best information available and a risk assessment,” said Morrison.

There will be an update by Dec. 3 to announce any temporary measures to protect the province from the new variant, said Morrison.

“It is important that we remind ourselves that, as a province, we continue to be in a good position to deal with whatever challenges COVID-19 presents,” Morrison said.

Also at the briefing, Morrison announced one new case of COVID-19. The patient is younger than 19 and is a close contact of a previously reported case. This latest case brings the number to 29 active cases and a total of 373 since the pandemic began.

On Nov. 27, the province began immunizing children aged five to 11 with the Pfizer pediatric vaccine, which is specifically formulated for children.

“I had the pleasure of attending the first community clinic in Summerside and it was wonderful to be part of this important milestone in our fight against COVID-19,” said Morrison.

Morrison said 523 P.E.I. children received their vaccinations on the weekend. School-based clinics will begin in early 2022. In the meantime, children under 12 can be vaccinated at community clinics in Montague, Souris, O’Leary, Charlottetown and Summerside. As of the briefing on Nov. 30, there were more than 1,000 appointments scheduled for the pediatric vaccine, said Morrison.

As of Nov. 27, 91 per cent of eligible Island residents are fully vaccinated and 94.6 per cent have received one dose.

In the last week, 45 per cent of doses administered were third shots including boosters, for a total of 6,833 thirddose boosters.