Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/April 8, 2021

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health is seeing increasing rates of COVID-19 in the community and reminds residents that learning to live with COVID-19 does not mean the pandemic is over. Residents are urged to remain cautious and continue to take realistic action to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 as the virus continues to circulate in the community.

While many provincial restrictions have been lifted, the pandemic is ongoing and as we start to resume many normal activities, there is continued risk of contracting and transmitting COVID-19. While not unexpected, positive PCR test results have been steadily increasing in eligible local workers over the month of April. This reflects a steady increase in the overall community, reinforcing that precautions must be maintained.

While everyone is tired of the pandemic, there are practical actions you can take to help protect yourself and those around you. Each step you take adds a layer of protection for you – and those around you, which can lower everyone’s risk.

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations you are eligible for, including fourth doses for individuals 60+ and other eligible groups.
• Stay home if you are sick – even if your symptoms are very mild
  • Take a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) if possible, or a PCR test if eligible.
  • If you test positive or have not tested but have symptoms, you should stay at home for at least five days or as otherwise advised by current isolation guidance. People can be infectious for up to 10 days, so it is important that for an additional five days you wear a mask when outside the house and avoid vulnerable individuals and high-risk settings like hospitals and long-term care.
  • Remember that a negative RAT does not exclude COVID-19. If you receive two negative RAT taken 24-48 hours apart AFTER your symptoms develop, they are less likely to be caused by COVID-19, however you still must stay home until your symptoms are improving for 24-48 hours.
• If you are a close contact – you are required to take extra precautions. These include:
  • Isolating, if required. 
  • Wearing a mask for a minimum of 10 days after your exposure to the symptomatic/positive person – even if isolation is not required.
  • Monitoring closely for symptoms of COVID-19 and isolating immediately if symptoms develop

• It is strongly recommended that you continue to wear a well-fitted three-layer mask or use a medical mask in all public indoor settings.
• Respect those who remain at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 by wearing a mask to help to protect those at a higher risk.

“The pandemic is not over, so as we move into this new phase of living safely with COVID-19 please continue to be cautious and reasonable,” said Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH. “While many restrictions have been lifted, we are relying on the public to make responsible choices and respect those who remain at higher risk of complications from COVID-19.”