'It's what we expected,' says Morrison of rising COVID-19 cases on P.E.I.

In an interview with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin, P.E.I. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison says rising case counts of COVID-19 on the Island are not a surprise considering recently relaxed public health measures.

"Yes our cases are rising ... it's what we expected when we eased up on some of the restrictions," Morrison said.

"But we do have to ease up on the restrictions, because we're able to protect people a little differently now."

On Wednesday, P.E.I. reported a total of 3,355 active cases with 962 new cases since the last update on Feb. 28. The average daily case count for the last seven days is 373.Three people are in hospital due to COVID-19, and four others were admitted for other reasons and later tested positive.

Effective Monday, P.E.I.discontinuedthe Vax Passand is removing isolation requirements for unvaccinated travellers.

Morrison said P.E.I. is seeing transmission in households and personal gatherings as well as sport and recreational activities where most people no longer wear masks. Most of the cases in school-age children are not related to classrooms, but rather to recreationand personal activities, she noted.

More cases but not severe outcomes

She said P.E.I. is not seeing the same rise in hospitalizations as it's seeing in cases.

"At this point in the pandemic, we have high rates of vaccination including booster doses, which provide additional protection for severe outcomes," she said. Eighty-four per cent of people over the age of 50 on P.E.I. who are eligible for a booster dose have received one, she said and those are the people morelikely to end up in hospital.

Morrison also noted P.E.I. now has access to treatmentsPaxlovid and monoclonal antibody delivery to minimize severe outcomes in high-risk patients.

Step 2 in the Moving Onplan to relax public health measures is scheduled for March 17, when gatherings can be increased to 75 per cent of a venue's capacity and sport and recreational activities can increase up to 100 participants over the course of a day. Morrison said officials are watching things closely, and don't anticipate step two will come into effect any earlier.

When could mask mandates be lifted?

Morrison said they'll be one of the last measures to go, because masks work, but will at some point move to a recommendation and not a requirement.