Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, announces additional provincial measures to protect the health and safety of Islanders as the COVID-19 situation continues. 

Effective March 17, 2020, all public licensed child care centres will be closed until further notice and all public schools will be closed for two weeks following March Break (March 23 to April 3) and will be reassessed.

“School and licensed child care centre closures will assist in our efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and keep all Islanders, especially our most vulnerable citizens, safe,” said Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison. “This is a rapidly evolving situation and we continue to make decisions in the public interest as new information becomes available.” 

Additional measures include the immediate closure of Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park at Brookvale, and all provincially run visitor information centres. 

The first positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Prince Edward Island on March 14, 2020. The Chief Public Health Office has been in contact with the patient and those who been in close contact with her, and further contact tracing is currently underway. 

“Closing daycares and schools are measures we can take to help flatten the curve,” said Brad Trivers, Minister of Education and Lifelong Learning. “Under the leadership of Prince Edward Island’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, we must all do our part to and we will get through this together as a province.”

Islanders with questions about COVID-19 should call PEI’s toll-free information line at 1-800-958-6400. The information line is taking messages 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

Islanders experiencing symptoms (cough, fever, or shortness of breath) within 14 days after international travel should call 8-1-1 to be screened and, if necessary, directed for testing.

Those requiring immediate medical attention should call 9-1-1.  

Get the latest information on COVID-19. 

Backgrounder: 

The Chief Public Health Office continues to work closely with the federal government, provincial and territorial counterparts, government departments and Health PEI to continue to monitor the situation globally, nationally and locally. The public health risk of COVID-19 is continually reassessed and Islanders will be updated as new information becomes available.

Government’s special situation response group also continues to work collaboratively with the Chief Public Health Office, stakeholders and community partners in preparing for all impacts related to COVID-19 to the province, including health, social and economic. 

Everyone is encouraged to follow routine prevention measures:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• If ill with acute respiratory symptoms, stay home if possible
• Limit touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Don’t share items like drinking glasses and water bottles
• Frequently clean surfaces like taps, doorknobs and countertops

Media Contact:
Samantha Hughes
Health and Wellness
(902) 368-5610
shughes@gov.pe.ca