Please consider rapid tests to reduce the chance of accidentally making anyone sick.

We have immune-compromised family members and friends at risk for severe illness due to COVID. Plus the PEI residents we will meet and interact with don't have a lot of health care resources if they get sick.

Types of tests:

• Rapid Antigen Test ("RAT") shows if you are currently infectious. These are very accurate when they show positive, but may show negative if it's early or late in the infection. (yes, they still work for Omicron)

• "PCR" tests for active COVID in your system, even if not yet infectious, or no longer infectious. It can show a positive for several weeks or even a couple months after infection, regardless of symptoms.

How to get tested in PEI:

• Get a free rapid test between 8am-4pm at Access PEI in Alberton, Access PEI in O'Leary, or from Cameron MacLeod or Michelle Moore (they are bringing extra tests).

• Get a confirming PCR test in Summerside 7 days a week, book appointments and learn more on this PEI website

"The Ontario Science Advisory Table says you should swab the insides of your cheeks, then your tongue or the back of your throat, and then your nostrils to make the tests more accurate." - CBC News

COVID is airborne: when you share air, you can share the virus. Wearing good masks like the pictured N95 style reduces that chance, but cloth masks, or loose surgical masks that leak air, are no longer recommended.

Be extra careful and keep your mask tight:

• when indoors with poor ventilation (think about whether you can smell things around you like food, cologne, or smoke)

• when flying, before takeoff & after landing (on modern aircraft the air filtration is quite strong while in the air!)

You can pickup N95-style masks at most pharmacies, you can order them from Canada Strong Masks, and you can also ask Cameron MacLeod for an extra - he has lots!

"A well-fitting mask should:

• be large enough to completely and comfortably cover the nose, mouth and chin without gaps

• not allow air to escape from edges

• fit securely to the head with ties, bands or ear loops

• be comfortable and not require frequent adjustments" - Canada.ca

Getting the vaccine is safe and worth it.

The COVID vaccine reduces transmission (depending on the variant) significantly, and almost entirely eliminates the chance of serious illness or death. Learn more from the independent Ontario Science Table.

COVID infections can lead to long-term health impacts, called Long COVID (CDC). Very little is known about it so far, but it is appearing in as many as 20% of serious cases (Mt Sinai NYC). Vaccination appears to help with the risk of Long COVID.

Even if you didn't get multiple or any shots before now for whatever reasons, it's OK to decide to do so now that we have so much data on effectiveness and safety globally.

You can get your vaccine in PEI, in Ontario, in the rest of Canada, and across the US.

More than 12 billion COVID vaccines have been administered globally, with over 686 million in Canada and the United States.

Serious vaccine side effects are very rare. 0.011% in Canada for example. Every serious side effect which has received media attention is actually much more likely when you have COVID. (like myocarditis)

Learn more from the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Health Canada.