Rallying the troops

Province recruiting retired health workers to help curb crisis

The province is calling on retired health workers to join the battle against coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) on P.E.I.

Marion Dowling, Health P.E.I.’s chief of nursing, said both clinical and non-clinical staff are being sought to support infection, prevention and control protocols.

All retired health-care workers who step up to help will be assessed and receive the required licensing or registration.

The call is also being extended to nursing students.

“There are many roles to play in our response to the Covid-19, especially as we prepare for a possible surge in patients needing care,’’ said Dowling.

The province, she added, expected to reach its goal Friday of reducing bed usage to 75 per cent across all hospitals in P.E.I. through a “monumental effort".

Those interested in joining the beefed-up team can call 902-368-4927.

Dowling was once again joining chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison Friday for a regular update on the ongoing health crisis crippling the world.

Morrison said there are two cases of Covid-19 on P.E.I. with both individuals at home and doing well.

She provided flight details on the second case, a Queens County man in his 40s who returned from the United Kingdom and went into selfisolation.

The man travelled on Air Canada Flight 7564 that landed in Charlottetown on March 11.

“The man was not experiencing any symptoms on the flight, and the risk of transmission is low,’’ said Morrison.

She added anyone returning from another country should self-isolate for 14 days, and those travelling within Canada should closely monitor symptoms. Morrison said environment health officials are now at the Charlottetown Airport to inform travellers about selfisolation.

As of Tuesday morning, about 240 tests had been conducted with two positives, 167 negatives and 71 pending.

Morrison encouraged Islanders who are not in self-isolation to consider donating blood.

“Our national supply of blood products is very important, especially in a time when current events may impact our inventory in the country and giving blood can save lives,’’ she said.

She also asked the public not to stockpile medications to avoid a shortage of prescription drugs to Islanders who need them.

She once again drove home the critical message of social distancing – deliberately increasing the physical space between people to avoid spreading the illness.

She said while it is important for children to go outside and play, great care must be taken to ensure they are practising social distancing.

“We don’t want children really playing closely together outside,’’ said Morrison.

“It is hard to know if one of their parents have travelled… we don’t want them to spread that infection.’’

Again, she is asking Islanders to stay home unless there is an absolute need to go out.

“This is our chance to get it right,’’ she said.

“This is not a dress rehearsal.’’ Morrison, who has been the province’s chief health officer since 2007, said holding the top role in imposing measures to deal with this major health crisis weighs heavily.

“It’s hard, and it will continue to be hard,’’ she said.

“I’m most concerned about the people who are sick and may get sick…I’m worried about how we reduce that number of people who will be ill and have bad outcomes…it absolutely can take an impact on me.’’