COVID-19: P.E.I. shuts gyms, bans indoor dining and limits gatherings as cases rise

CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Island is shutting gyms, closing in-person eating and proscribing non-public gatherings amid rising COVID-19 instances and hospitalizations.

“Proper now, every of those are trending within the improper course,” Premier Dennis King mentioned Tuesday, referring to the variety of new infections and COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions within the province.

As of midnight Tuesday, private gatherings shall be restricted to a single family plus two assist individuals, akin to house care employees or family members who present care. Funeral and wedding ceremony ceremonies, in the meantime, shall be restricted to a most of 10 individuals.

Gyms and recreation services shall be closed and in-room eating at eating places gained’t be permitted. The brand new restrictions, together with continued on-line studying for colleges, shall be in impact till no less than Jan. 31. Retail shops can stay open however with a most of fifty per cent capability and bodily distancing.

“We can't cease Omicron,” chief public well being officer Dr. Heather Morrison instructed a information convention in Charlottetown in regards to the new mutation of the novel coronavirus. “The very best factor we will do is to sluggish it down and attempt to flatten the curve.

“We'd like time to reverse among the traits we're seeing and we will do this by limiting our contact with others.”

Morrison reported 407 new instances of COVID-19 Tuesday and a couple of,214 energetic instances. She mentioned eight individuals had been hospitalized with COVID-19, together with 4 in intensive care.

Faculties shouldn’t reopen to in-person studying whereas the variety of infections within the province is on an upward development, she mentioned.

“There shall be just a few extra bumpy weeks of intense COVID exercise,” she mentioned. “I'm optimistic that after we get via the following few weeks issues shall be higher and after a troublesome winter, we could have a greater spring.”

The most recent wave of COVID-19 has put strain on hospitals and led to shortages of health-care workers, who're isolating after testing optimistic. The federal government has mentioned that fifty individuals had been recruited from varied provincial departments, together with the departments of Justice and Public Security, to assist out within the health-care system and substitute isolating employees.

King mentioned it’s an “all-hands-on-deck method” and the response has been overwhelming.

“It began with getting nurses from (Veterans Affairs Canada) to assist us with our vaccine clinics and was prolonged to these retired nursing workers who had been at house and got here again to assist,” King mentioned Tuesday. “It’s not only a scarcity in long-term care of nurses … it’s additionally kitchen workers and cleansing workers. We're responding any manner we will.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 18, 2022.

— By Kevin Bissett in Fredericton.