COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Thursday, Oct. 1

P.E.I.Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison gave CBC News: Compass an update on changes that came into effect Thursday under the province's "new normal"that will be in effect until the spread of COVID-19 is broadly contained and a vaccine or effective treatment is available.

One of the big changes under the new normal will be larger gatherings are permitted with an operational plan that means hockey fans will be allowed in the stands at Charlottetown Islanders games, although tickets will be very limited to allow for physical distancing.

A Charlottetown manwho is awaiting sentencing for failure to self-isolate due to COVID-19has had other criminal charges related to a domestic disturbance the day of his arrestsent to analternative measures program.

Organizers of the annual Coats for Kids campaign seeking donations of gently-used coats for babies, children and youth on P.E.I. hopeIslanders recognize their neighbours will be even more in need of a hand this year due to COVID-19.

Some Islanders living in Montreal say there's uncertainty and lowered morale as the city has been forced into lockdown again with COVID-19 case numbers climbing.

A P.E.I. couple ishoping the U.S. border will reopen in time for them to spend time in their Arizona home this winter.

A fiscal update shows the provincial governmenthas added another $5.4 million to this year's deficit since the presentation of the spring budget.

Coach Atlantic says it lost a $1 million contract after one of its top touroperators from the United States cancelled all visits to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick for 2021.

Following the announcement that all P.E.I. school Christmas craft fairs would be prohibited this year due to COVID-19, anewweekend craft shop for local artisansis opening on the Island leading up to the holidays.

The P.E.I. giant pumpkin weigh-off is closed to the public this yearbut the scales will still be ready for growers on Thanksgiving weekend.

There have been 59confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the Island, with 57 considered recovered. There have been no hospitalizations or deaths, and there is no evidence of community spread.

Also in the news

• The Island has adopted a new alert system to help Islanders navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Since the start of the pandemic, P.E.I.Chief Public Health OfficerDr. Heather Morrison says her office has received negative comments, in some cases threats, from Islanders in relation to the COVID-19 rules in the province.
• Visitors to P.E.I.'s COVID-19 clinics are receiving their test results "almost always" within 24 hours, says medical microbiologist Dr. Greg German.
• P.E.I. government officials say the Access PEI site in Montague will reopen to the public sometime in October, but the date has not yet been set.

Further resources

• Here isinformation for livingwith the COVID-19 pandemic on P.E.I. including information on government relief programs, physical distancing measures, and essential health services.
• Here is achart tracking COVID-19 numbers and a timeline of COVID-19-related events on P.E.I.
• Here isa guide onwhat parents and students need to knowabout attending school.

More COVID-19 stories from CBC P.E.I.