No active COVID-19 cases on P.E.I.
Visits to long-term facilities to be eased, allowing indoor visits for family caregivers
P.E.I. once again has no active cases of COVID-19.
After a number of new cases were announced during July, Dr. Heather Morrison, the province’s chief public health officer, announced Tuesday that all 36 cases recorded in P.E.I. are now considered recovered.
Prior to July, P.E.I. had a period of two months with no new cases announced.
However, during a media briefing Morrison cautioned Islanders to continue observing public health measures and pointed to the recent rise of cases seen in Alberta, Ottawa and British Columbia.
“Some jurisdictions have had to tighten restrictions. We don’t want to have to follow suit here. So, we are not out of the woods and we cannot afford to let our guard down,” Morrison said.
Morrison also announced that visitor restrictions at longterm care facilities would be eased. As of Tuesday, residents can designate one individual as a caregiver, who can visit at any time during regular visiting hours.
The caregiver, or designated partner in care, can assist with feeding and mobility, as well as providing companionship. The individual will be trained in the appropriate use of personal protective equipment.
“An example of a partner in care may be a husband who is used to going to a nursing home every day to visit his wife and help her with lunch or to play cards,” Morrison said.
“Another example is a daughter who visits her father multiple times per week to read to him and play crokinole.”
The move follows a picket outside the legislature in late July by family members of long-term care residents, who urged the province to ease visitor restrictions for family caregivers.
Nova Scotia currently allows three designated visitors to enter long-term care homes.
Morrison said the limit of one individual may be increased in the future.
In addition, these individuals will not be permitted to visit more than one long-term care facility. Testing of the caregiver is a possibility.
Morrison also announced that a limit of only six designated visitors, allowed outdoors, for long-term care residents will be eased, although only two will be able to visit at one time. Residents will be able to leave nursing homes with their designated caregiver for drives, but Morrison did not specify other activities that would be prohibited.
No date was specified on when these measures would be put in place.
A total of 42,894 vehicles have crossed into P.E.I. via the Confederation Bridge and Northumberland Ferries Ltd. since the start of the Atlantic bubble on July 3. Since mid-April, 375 individuals have been denied entry to the province.
Morrison also said the increased use of non-medical masks in indoor facilities is an important courtesy for others. But she said physical distancing and hand-washing protocols should still be practised.
“Masks represent one layer of protection against COVID-19. But they do not replace other, more effective public health defences against this virus,” Morrison said.