(Montreal) The head of Public Health Canada, DrDr Theresa Tam.
Posted on February 25
“Nationally, the number of new cases is down 26%, and the number of people infected with COVID-19 in hospitals and intensive care units is down more than 20% compared to last week,” he said. She indicated at a virtual press conference.
Although the majority of jurisdictions see their situation improving, a few still struggle to increase cases, they qualify.
Other good news: The BA2 variant “does not appear to be associated with more severe symptoms” than its predecessor Omicron, according to statistics from Denmark, where it has been well shown. Similarly, data from England indicates that vaccines are no less effective against a newcomer, even though a newcomer is more transmissible.
10% of COVID-19 cases in Canada are now due to BA2.
Despite the upcoming end of the Omicron wave, DDr Tam insisted that “our best advantage going forward is to stay prepared” so that we can respond quickly should the tide turn. To do so, it encouraged residents to continue to follow the health instructions of their county or territory.
The future of masks
Even if the infection is decreasing and the provinces are gradually easing their health measures, the mask remains, according to her, “a very good layer of personal protection.”
We’ll eventually move from commitment to recommendation […]but even if it’s not required in your jurisdiction, you can still wear it.”
“I think people should do everything they can to keep schools open,” she said, citing masks as a way to avoid having to travel that far.
I also remembered that even if commits drop, “if another variable appears, prepare your masks”.
Vice President of Public Health Canada, Dr.s Howard Ngo, for his part, demanded that “we must ensure that individuals who choose to wear a mask are not stigmatized” even when it is no longer mandatory. He explained that some would be more comfortable continuing to protect themselves in this way, especially people who are immunocompromised or who have vulnerable loved ones.
The virus is here to stay
He expressed reservations about the possibility of achieving herd immunity one day, while protection against a second infection lasts only a few months.
Dr. warned. “Even if viral activity decreases in Canada, that does not mean that the virus will go away.”Dr Complete. After all, the “epidemic is a global phenomenon” and not all countries are doing well.
We will likely have to learn to live with it, and “balance protecting the most vulnerable and minimizing the impact on society”. The key to success is to “reduce the incidence of critical diseases” so as not to derail the health system.
This is why dDr Tamm reminded of the importance of vaccination, which reduces the risks of hospitalization.
Quebec received 1,532 hospitalized cases linked to COVID-19 on Friday, 72 fewer than the day before. Among them, 105 are in intensive care.
On Wednesday, Quebec’s acting National Director of Public Health Dr.s Luc Boileau announced, that nearly 3 million Quebecers have already contracted the virus.
This article was produced with financial support from Facebook and The Canadian Press News Fellowships.
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