P.E.I. group calls on government to reinstate COVID-19 measures
A group on Prince Edward Island is calling for a return to tougher COVID-19 restrictions in the province.
That comes as part of a candlelight vigil in Charlottetown Wednesday evening — a memorial marking the COVID-19-related deaths of 52 islanders.
The group Protect our Province P.E.I. (POPPEI) was expecting dozens of people to gather in Rochford Square at 8:30 p.m.
Organizers say it’s also a call to action for the provincial government.
“Public health policy, if you study it at all, requires a layered perspective. That would include masks plus vaccine, not simply vaccine,” said Chris Robinson, a health economist and organizer with POPPEI. “We need that approach and a real plan as children go back to school.”
The group is demanding a return to mandatory masking, improved air filtration in public buildings, more frequent COVID-19 information updates, improved access to rapid tests, and 10 days of paid sick time.
COVID-19 activity has dropped since a small peak in mid-July. Numbers released by the province Tuesday show a drop in case counts and hospitalizations, though there were three new deaths and 35 per cent of people tested were positive for the virus.
“We are still a very hot spot,” said Robinson. “A downward inflection is not the same as ‘we’ve decreased back to where we were in the times of the Atlantic bubble,’ that’s what we want to get back to.”
The province did not accommodate a request for an interview on the topic Wednesday.
The University of Prince Edward Island apparently agrees with at least some of the group’s recommendations. It has become the latest post-secondary institution in the Maritimes to implement on-campus masking in the upcoming fall semester, after making the announcement Tuesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.