As the number of cases among young people surges across the country, Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam has called on Canadians to resist giving in to pandemic fatigue.
Dr. Theresa Tam, was speaking at her first press conference since returning from a summer break and said that the seven-day average number of new daily cases is rising again after falling earlier this summer.
In a media statement, Dr. Tam stated, “There have been 112,240 cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 8,870 deaths. 87% of people have now recovered. Labs across Canada have tested over 3,659,000 people for COVID-19 to date. Over the past week, an average of 44,000 people were tested daily, with 1% testing positive”.
She took to Twitter as well earlier today and reiterated her message regarding COVID fatigue to young Canadians, “I urge all Canadians, including younger adults, to not give into #COVIDfatigue. This is your generation and your future that is being shaped.”
“If we let our guard down, the disease will work its way to our parents and grandparents and other vulnerable people who need to be protected,” she said during her media talk. “Since it is vitally important that anyone experiencing symptoms, even if mild, stay home and isolate themselves from others, everyone needs to be aware of the type and range of symptoms to look out for and to monitor our health closely“, she said in her media statement today.
Here’s what Dr. Tam further advises to prevent the spread of COVID-19, there are steps we can all take to reduce contracting the disease ourselves and spreading to others:
1. Assess your risk for exposure and potential to spread to family, friends and other contacts and plan activities accordingly
- Stay home and away from others, if you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or if you develop symptoms.
- Protect vulnerable family, friends and contacts by finding virtual ways to connect and support those who are at higher risk for severe outcomes of COVID-19.
- Plan lower risk activities by opting for outdoor gathering, with less people and for short durations, wherever possible.
2. Take precautions to reduce your exposure to the virus
- Wash your hands often and/or carry a Health Canada-approved hand sanitizer when you go out.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a clean tissue or your sleeve.
- Practice physical distancing and/or wear a non-medical mask or face covering when you can’t keep two metres away from others.
3. Avoid or strictly limit time spent in high risk situations and settings (avoid the 3 Cs), where physical distancing can be difficult to maintain and others may not be wearing masks or face coverings:
- Closed spaces with poor ventilation
- Crowded places with large numbers of people
- Close contact, where you cannot keep 2 metres apart from others
Remember, it can take up to 14 days for symptoms to appear after exposure to COVID-19. If you think you may have been exposed to or have symptoms of COVID-19, avoid contact with others and contact your local public health authority to be guided safely to testing and care.
Learn more on Canada.ca/coronavirus
Cover Photo: Reimar / Shutterstock.com
