Ontario and Quebec easing restrictions, students in P.E.I. and N.B. returning to class
CBC News · Posted: Jan 31, 2022 7:42 AM ET | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
Students in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick headed back to classrooms on Monday — a move that comes amid a broader easing of restrictions in the two Atlantic provinces.
P.E.I. Premier Dennis King said earlier this month that teachers, administrators, parents and children have been “champions” through the period of remote learning, which had “brought its own challenges.” But as he announced the plan to shift back to in-person learning, the premier said it was time to get students back to classrooms.
New Brunswick started to ease up its rules late last week. Businesses that had been closed, including salons, dining rooms and gyms, were allowed to reopen with capacity limits as of 11:59 p.m. last Friday. Rules around gatherings, sports and recreation also eased up as part of a broader shift to a lower alert level.
New Brunswick on Monday reported a total of 152 COVID-19 hospitalizations — down by 12 from Sunday — with 16 people in the province’s ICUs, according to the province’s posted update. The provincial COVID-19 dashboard also reported five additional deaths, along with 169 new lab-confirmed cases.
Prince Edward Island‘s shift in restrictions begins Monday, with businesses that had been closed allowed to open with capacity limits.
Gyms are among the businesses on the island allowed to reopen under new COVID-19 measures that take effect today. The province said fitness facilities can reopen at 50 per cent capacity with physical distancing.
Health officials in P.E.I. are expected to provide updated COVID-19 information later Monday.
In Nova Scotia, health officials on Sunday issued a statement saying 92 patients were being treated for COVID-19 in designated hospital wards, with 15 people in ICU. The province also said 256 people were in hospital related to COVID-19, including people who contracted the virus in hospital and those who were positive on arrival but admitted for other reasons. The province is expected to provide updated information about deaths and lab-confirmed cases later Monday.
Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday said COVID-19 hospitalizations had hit a pandemic high of 23, with eight people in ICU. There were no additional deaths reported in the province, which saw 210 additional lab-confirmed cases.
