Be careful about viruses during Canada Games, says P.E.I.'s top doctor

P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Officer is wishing all athletes, coaches, parents and volunteers the best as the Canada Games get underway. 

But Dr. Heather Morrison is also reminding people it's an important time to consider the risks, as COVID-19 and other viruses are circulating on P.E.I. 

She said people should stay at home — or wherever they're staying — if they feel unwell. And they should remember to wash their hands and consider wearing a mask indoors based on their own risk assessment. 

"There's going to be a great number of people here and we want to everyone to have a safe and healthy Games. I wish everyone good luck, but remember that there are respiratory viruses circulating," she said. 

Morrison said her office has been working with the Canada Games host society and medical team on infection prevention and control guidance for the games. 

The CPHO will continue to conduct monitoring and surveillance of reportable communicable diseases and outbreaks, including weekly reporting on COVID-19 and influenza, she said. 

Morrison urges Islanders to stay up to date with their vaccines as well. 

"Hopefully people are vaccinated and they have their boosters and and making some good decisions to protect not only themselves, but others," she said. 

Rapid antigen tests are available at Access P.E.I. sites, schools, libraries, hockey rinks, as well as Island pharmacies — good news, Morrison said, for people visiting P.E.I. who might not be familiar with where to get a COVID-19 test. 

"They may not know where the Access P.E.I. sites are and they wouldn't have the connection with the schools or libraries or hockey rinks necessarily," she said. 

Keep vaccinations up to date 

Morrison said since the beginning of 2023, the median age of positive COVID-19 cases has been 58-60.

The median age of COVID-19 related deaths in 2023 is 85. 

When it comes to all deaths, which includes 2022, the median age is 82.5 — similar to the national trend. 

Morrison said it's important for seniors and people with increased risk of severe illness to stay up to date with vaccines and boosters. 

She said the CPHO is spreading the message about vaccines via interviews, their website, social media, doctors' offices and pharmacies. 

"We're not seeing the big waves of cases that we may have seen earlier on, but it's definitely still circulating in our community."

She said "hybrid immunity" — with immunization and previous infection — is very protective against severe outcomes, but it's still challenging for the province to be in a "steady" state. 

"Our rates of hospitalizations, cases and outbreaks are much more steady, but lower than they were before. But it doesn't mean that people aren't still able to get COVID and get sick with COVID."