COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Saturday, Dec. 19

P.E.I.'s chief public health officer announced one new case of COVID-19 on P.E.I. Saturday.

Dr. Heather Morrison confirmed that the individual who tested positive is a woman in her 50s who arrived in the province Thursday following travel within Canada but outside the Atlantic provinces.

The woman is in self-isolation and Public Health is following up with her daily.

There are no public exposure locations in P.E.I. related to this case.The woman arrived on Air Canada Flight 8302 from Montreal to Charlottetown.

Anyone who travelled on this flight should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. If a person develops symptoms they should immediately visit one of P.E.I.'s drop-in testing clinics.

Changing plans

Christmas is less than a week away, and some Islanders are changing plans for Christmas dinnerbecause of the restrictions on gatherings.

Live music and theatre are entertainment options now that circuit-breaker regulations have eased. Find ideas in our5 fun things story.

Larger gatherings can now be held at places ofworship, and hockey games can go ahead, though in some cases, there will be no spectators for those games.

Health PEI outlined how it is easing restrictions for visiting in hospitalsand health-care centresFriday.

Some Islandbusinesses are celebrating the restrictions lifting early,while others say their window of opportunity has closed.

The Island hashad 91positive cases, with sevenactive. There have been no deaths or hospitalizations in the province.

Also in the news

• The province announced Friday that liquor deliveries allowed during the pandemic will now be permanent, with changes to liquor regulations.
• P.E.I. retail sales have largely recovered from a dip caused by the pandemic,October sales figures released Friday by Statistics Canada suggest.
• Gas prices, which have been closely tied to the pandemic, rose again Friday tojust below the pandemic high of $1.03 per litre on Aug. 28.
• Because she is unable to hold an open house on Christmas Day this year, a bookstore owner in Summerside isgiving away free booksinstead.
• Some P.E.I.students are learningto singusing sign languageto prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• P.E.I.grew its population slightly this year, coming in second in Canada in percentage growth.
• Frosty Treat dairy bar owner Warren Ellisis giving away roast turkey dinners for a weekto help Islanders affected by the pandemic.

Further resources

• Here isinformation for livingwith the COVID-19 pandemic on P.E.I. including information on government relief programs, physical distancing measuresand essential health services.
• Here is a look at how coronavirus isspreading across Canada.

Reminder about symptoms

The symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• Fever.
• Cough or worsening of a previous cough.
• Possible loss of taste and/or smell.
• Sore throat.
• New or worsening fatigue.
• Headache.
• Shortness of breath.
• Runny nose.

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