In the news briefing they deliver on a weekly basis, Drs Theresa Tam and Howard Njoo said on Friday that indicators of disease activity – ranging from cases reported daily to lab test positivity – show a decrease. transmission in many areas.
It’s hard to speak for the whole country, but I think we can say in general that we are pretty close to the peak or even that the peak has been exceeded
said Dr. Njoo, deputy chief administrator of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
Admittedly, the coronavirus is still circulating in the country and efforts remain to be made to contain it, as it continues to evolve. Nevertheless, Canadian public health authorities predict that it will be possible to take advantage of a period of low virus activity in the months to come.
With the milder temperatures, we are in a better situation today than before
according to Dr. Njoo.
Asked to clarify whether science now makes it possible to clearly rule on the seasonality of COVID-19, Dr Njoo replied that he was maybe a little too early
for it.
However, experience from previous waves has shown a lower level of virus activity and transmission during the summer. However, Dr. Njoo recalled that in Canada, summer temperatures spread over a shorter period than in many places in the world.
Wearing a mask
Dr. Njoo explained that public health advocates maintaining a vaccination approach more […] : we must remain attentive to the activity of the COVID-19 and continue to apply personal protection measures
.
These measures are:
- stay home if you are symptomatic or receive a positive test result;
- improve ventilation;
- continue to wear the mask in common indoor spaces or crowded spaces when you are in the company of people you do not live with.
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam reiterated the importance of Canadians getting their booster dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines.
According to the most recent figures published by Ottawa, just under 55% of Canadians aged 12 and over have received their third dose. Data on the fourth dose is not available on the federal dashboard.
Wastewater that speaks volumes
Wastewater data also shows hints of a possible plateau, or even a decline after the peak [de contagion] in several regions
Dr. Njoo continued.
L’PHAC (New window), the Wastewater COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, to disseminate data from several major cities in this regard. Other cities will be added in the coming months.
has also designed a cybertoolWastewater testing can help determine if the incidence of COVID-19 is increasing or decreasing in a community. With this in mind, Public Health invites Canadians to consult this dashboard.
A better portrait of the post-COVID-19 syndrome
Furthermore, thePHAC
and Statistics Canada are conducting a survey to assess the prevalence of long-term COVID in the Canadian population.According to Dr. Tam, there are no less than a hundred variable symptoms. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult for medical professionals to make a diagnosis.
We need proper diagnostics and that’s what the research is all about. [ainsi que sur des] markers of long term COVID impacts
did she say.
While the data is still sketchy, Dr. Tam said the effects of post-COVID syndrome could be quite substantial
.
The survey should make it possible to identify which segments of the population are more vulnerable to this prolonged infection.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca