Islanders advised to avoid non-essential travel

The chief public health officer is advising Islanders to avoid travel out of the province unless necessary.

In a Sept. 25 release, Dr. Heather Morrison said due to the rising number of COVID19 cases in Atlantic Canada and across the country, Islanders should carefully consider travel outside of P.E.I.

Morrison added that now is not the time for non-essential travel.

“To protect ourselves and our community it is extremely important to get vaccinated against COVID-19, to be tested if you are experiencing even mild symptoms, and to keep your circle of contacts small,” she said.

Additional to testing and isolation requirements already in place, there will be increased testing at entry points for vaccinated and partially vaccinated people travelling to P.E.I. within Atlantic Canada and for Islanders returning home.

Health officials said people travelling to P.E.I. who aren't vaccinated will still have to self-isolate for eight days with a negative test on day eight.

Children 12 and under attending school will continue to be tested at entry points or tested before returning to school and then at regular intervals.

With the rising cases of COVID-19 in N.B., anyone who traveled to N.B. for less than 48 hours will be asked to be tested upon return on day four and day eight.

Those who have been in N.B. for more than 48 hours will be asked to be tested at entry points and again on day four and day eight.

Anyone 12 years and older can drop in to receive their COVID-19 vaccination at one of the Health P.E.I. vaccination clinics.

People 18 years or older can visit the 28 partnered Island pharmacies.

The travel advisory came the same day Morrison announced one new case involving a person in their 20s and several exposure notifications.