More COVID-19-related restrictions are being eased on Prince Edward Island Thursday as the province moves into Step 2 of its Moving on Plan.
Under Step 2, larger groups will be allowed at personal gatherings, organized gatherings, weddings and funerals.
Fitness facilities, retail stores, museums, casinos and libraries will also be able to open at 75 per cent capacity.
“Although Step 2 of the Moving On Plan means some public health restrictions are now lessened, it does not mean the pandemic is over, it means we are adjusting to living with the virus,” said Dr. Heather Morrison, PEI’s chief public health officer , in a news release Thursday.
“Everyone should continue to assess their own level of risk before deciding to attend events and stay home if we are not feeling well. Measures such as masking, isolation of positive cases, long-term care restrictions, still remain in place.”
Under Step 2, the following changes are now in effect:
- Personal gatherings of 20 people indoors and 50 people outdoors are allowed.
- Organized gatherings can have up to 75 per cent capacity, with space being maximized to allow for as much physical distancing as possible.
- Fitness facilities, retail, museums, casinos and libraries can operate up to 75 per cent capacity.
- Wedding receptions, funeral receptions and stand up receptions are allowed to have up to 100 people.
- Dance floors are allowed.
- Organized sport and recreation activities can take place with a maximum of 100 participants interacting over the course of a day.
- Screening at the points-of-entry will continue and the province will transition to random testing of people entering PEI
As of Sunday, 97.3 per cent of Island residents aged 12 and older have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 94.2 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Also, 69.6 per cent of children aged five to 11 have received one dose of vaccine and 47.6 per cent have received two.
Anyone 12 years of age and older can get their COVID-19 vaccination – first and second dose – at a Health PEI vaccination clinic or at one of the many partner pharmacies across the province.
Booster doses are also being offered at clinics and partner pharmacies to those 18 years of age and older who received their second dose five and a half months earlier.
Island children five to 11 years of age can receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a Health PEI vaccination clinic.