P.E.I. implementing 'hopeful' three-step plan to lift COVID-19 restrictions

Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says the province will be implementing a three-step plan to loosen COVID-19 restrictions in phases, with hopes to have most restrictions lifted around the beginning of April.

King says Step 1 is scheduled to take effect on Feb. 17, when some restrictions will be loosened. More restrictions will be further reduced in Step 2, which is scheduled to take effect in mid-March, while Step 3 has a target date to take effect around April 7.

"This not a declaration that COVID is over, or that COVID will disappear and that we are standing here and saying, 'Mission accomplished,'" said King. "COVID is with us and it will be with us."

"I think we are at a point ... when the epidemiology and the trends across the country, the region and the province kind of allows us to look a little more firmly at our long-awaited return to a life without COVID restrictions," said King during a news conference in Charlottetown on Tuesday.

Prince Edward Island Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison says Tuesday is a time for Islanders to look forward with hope and optimism.

"Although COVID-19 isn't going anywhere, we certainly have tools and information now much more than we did before," said Morrison. "This plan really highlights how we will plan to ease out of current measures and live with this virus as COVID-19 becomes endemic, not only here, but across the country."

Morrison says P.E.I.'s focus will be less on restrictions and more focused on immunization, self-management, and protecting the vulnerable.

Step 1 of P.E.I.'s three-step plan, which is scheduled to take effect on Feb. 17, will see some restrictions eased.

Personal gathering limits are expected to increase to up to 20 people indoors and outdoors. Organized gatherings will also be permitted in Step 1, with up to 50 per cent capacity allowed in a venue. Up to 50 people will be able to attend wedding receptions and dances.

Morrison says P.E.I. travellers who are fully vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 will no longer have to isolate when they return to the province.

The P.E.I. Vax Pass will remain in effect during Step 1.

A list of changes that will take effect in Step 1 of P.E.I.'s three-step plan.

Step 2 of the plan is scheduled to take effect around March 17.

In Step 2, the personal gathering limits will remain at up to 20 people indoors, however, 50 people will be permitted to gather outdoors.

Organized gathering limits will be increased, allowing up to 75 per cent capacity in a venue. Wedding receptions and dances will also be allowed to welcome more people, with up to 100 people in total permitted in Step 2.

Restrictions around sport and recreation activities will also be loosened further in Step 2.

A list of changes that will take effect in Step 2 of P.E.I.'s three-step plan.

Around April 7, P.E.I. is scheduled to move into Step 3 of its three-step plan. In Step 3, most COVID-19 restrictions will be dropped. Masks will no longer be required in indoor public places, there will be no COVID-19 testing/screening at points-of-entry to the province and there will be no gathering limits.

"Our aim is to phase out these public health measures at the earliest possible time," said Morrison.

A list of changes that will take effect in Step 3 of P.E.I.'s three-step plan.

"This is a hopeful plan ... and we will move on carefully," said Morrison. "I think there are still many unknowns and this plan will be adjusted as necessary."

Details of the full three-step plan can be found on the province's website.

CASE DATA

Heather Morrison reported one new death related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, involving a person over the age of 80.

"My condolences to the family and loved ones who are mourning the loss of this individual. We all share in your loss," said Morrison.

Morrison also reported nine people in hospital due to COVID-19 on Tuesday, including one person in intensive care.

She says there are five other people in hospital who were admitted for reasons other than COVID-19, but tested positive for the virus on admission, or tested positive after being admitted.

As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, the province had confirmed 264 new cases of the virus, along with 268 recoveries. The new cases are still under investigation.

There are currently 1,819 active cases of COVID-19 confirmed on the island.

P.E.I. has seen an average of 175 new COVID-19 cases per day over the last seven days.

To date, there have been 9,368 cases of COVID-19 on P.E.I. 

Morrison says, over the last week, the province has reported 1,325 positive COVID-19 cases.

Of those cases:

• 30 per cent were among children and youth aged 18 and under
• 46 per cent were among adults aged 19 to 49
• 24 per cent were among adults aged 50 and over

COVID-19 TRENDS

Dr. Marguerite Cameron, an epidemiologist on P.E.I., shared a series of graphs showing the trends of COVID-19 over the last few weeks.

Cameron says the first graph shows a gradual decline in daily COVID-19 cases.

She says, compared to Tuesday's seven-day average of daily cases, which Morrison reported at 175, the graph shows a decrease from last week, which was showing an average of 226 new cases per day.

Graph showing that daily COVID-19 cases on P.E.I. have peaked and are on the decline.

A second graph shared by Cameron shows the number of tests completed each day, along with the per-cent positivity of those tests.

"And what this really shows is that our testing numbers have been high," said Cameron. "The testing rate per population in P.E.I. remains very high and is above the national average."

Cameron says, according to the black line in the graph, there was an increase in the province's test-positivity beginning in mid-December.

"And I will also note that it was in mid-December that we also saw Omicron sort of take over the pandemic here in P.E.I., making up more than 90 per cent of all the cases being reported," said Cameron.

According to Cameron's graph, "per-cent positivity" peaked in mid-to-late January at around 21 per cent.

"Since that time it has stabilized, hovering around 19 per cent," said Cameron.

The current average test positivity over the past seven days on P.E.I. is 16.6 per cent, according to Cameron.

Graph shows that P.E.I.'s test per cent positivity has stabilized.

A third graph shared by Cameron shows institutional outbreaks, including in settings such as long-term care facilities, community care facilities, correctional facilities, and acute care facilities.

"And so similar to the first two indicators, we are seeing fewer outbreaks in these institutional settings," said Cameron.

Graph shows fewer COVID-19 outbreaks being reported.

The fourth map shows that P.E.I. has reached its peak in hospitalizations due to COVID-19.

"And similar to what we are seeing with our daily care numbers, we are now seeing early signs of a decline or a downward trend in our daily hospitalizations as well," Cameron explained.

Graph shows number of daily hospitalizations on a downward trend.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Monday, 96.8 per cent of Island residents over the age of 12 years received at least one dose of vaccine, 93.5 per cent were fully vaccinated and 66.9 per cent of children aged five to 11 had one dose of vaccine.

Anyone age 12 and over can receive their COVID-19 vaccination at one of the Health PEI clinics or at one of the 28 partner pharmacies across the province. Booster doses are also being offered at clinics and partner pharmacies to people aged 18 and over who received their second dose five-and-a-half-months earlier. 

Island children between the ages of five and 11 can now receive their COVID-19 vaccination at Health PEI clinics.

UPDATE ON OUTBREAKS

Morrison says there are outbreaks in seven long-term care facilities across the province, as well as one outbreak in a community care facility.

Outbreaks are also happening at:

Early learning and child care centres:

• 20 centres with cases or outbreaks of COVID-19
• 7 centres open
• No centres closed
• 13 centres operating at a modified or reduced capacity

Hospitals:

• Community Hospital O’Leary
• Prince County Hospital

Other congregate settings:

• Population that accesses shelter and outreach services in Charlottetown
• Prince County Correctional Centre

Island schools with cases are listed on the Public Schools Branch website.

TESTING

COVID-19 testing is currently limited to the following:

• symptomatic individuals
• close contacts of positive cases
• confirmatory tests for individuals who test preliminary positive with a rapid antigen test

Islanders who need to be tested for travel purposes will be provided with at-home rapid antigen tests -- two tests to be taken 48 hours apart.

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.