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
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.