P.E.I. residents may be eligible for work isolation

A recent bulletin from the Prince Edward Island provincial government indicates travelling workers may be eligible to work isolate.

Once approved by the Chief Public Health Office, workers must respect the public health measures for work isolation.

P.E.I. residents who travel outside of the Atlantic bubble and wish to return to their workplace when they arrive back in the province must apply to work isolate.

Approval for work isolation must be requested each time workers travel outside of the Atlantic bubble, if an employee wishes to go back to his or her workplace upon return.

The process includes:

• Upon return, immediately returning to your residence or location where you will isolate. You can leave your isolation to go to your scheduled testing appointment.
• You will begin to receive daily check in calls the day after you arrive back in the province.  These calls will continue for the 14 days you are required to self-isolate and work isolate.
• Once you receive your negative test result, you are able to work isolate for 14 days; you can return to work but you cannot attend public events or go to public places like grocery stores or drive-thru restaurants, you must go straight to work and home.
• When at your workplace, follow the public health requirements in place for work isolation. These include: physical distancing, wearing a non-medical mask or face covering, and frequently washing/sanitizing your hands.

Full details are available at the government’s website.

If a worker does not have to return to the workplace, no application is needed. Rather, self-isolation would take place for 14 days upon return to the province.

Testing does not replace isolation and it cannot be used to get out of self-isolation.

The penalties for not work isolating or self-isolating are charges that carry a fine of at least $1,000.