CHARLOTTETOWN — Prince Edward Island is lifting some public health restrictions but keeping its mask mandate for indoor public spaces until at least April 28.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Heather Morrison told reporters Tuesday masks are more effective against the novel coronavirus when there is a universal requirement to wear them.  

"Masks do matter," she said. "Masks will be one of the last measures to be lifted." Officials had originally said they expected to get rid of the mask requirement by April 7.

The province is ending all gathering and capacity limits across the province as of midnight Tuesday. COVID-19 testing at entry points to the province will be voluntary until April 28 and then end after that.

"Between now and the 28th, visitors to the Island will be offered information and offered rapid tests," Morrison said.

She said close contacts of positive cases will not be required to self-isolate, however anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested at a Health P.E.I. clinic and isolate until the results are available.

Morrison reported one COVID-19-related death in the past week, involving a person over the age of 80.  

She said the province has 3,619 active cases of COVID-19, and 30 people are in hospital with the disease, including three in intensive care.

There are outbreaks in 11 community care and long-term care homes, as well as  outbreaks at the provincial correctional centre and the Kings County Memorial Hospital. There are 34 child-care and early learning centres with cases or outbreaks of COVID-19.

Despite the number of new cases, Premier Dennis King told reporters the province has fared better than many other places.

"We have seen a consistent and persistent level of positive COVID cases in our province," he said. "While that number is above what we would like to see, the science and data does suggest the protocols that we've had in place have helped up avoid the dramatic spike in cases that other jurisdictions have dealt with."

Morrison said she expects an increase in cases in the coming weeks, and maintaining the mask mandate for a while longer is intended to help curb that increase.

King said his office is hearing from people who feel his government is moving too fast to remove restrictions, while others say he's moving too slow.

"We started this journey by saying it will be about public health and not public relations. We've tried to make the best health decisions we can make," King said. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2022.

— By Kevin Bissett in Fredericton.

The Canadian Press