Transmission of COVID-19 is slowing in Canada, according to public health | Coronavirus


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 exceededsaid 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 beforeaccording 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 regionsDr. Njoo continued.

L’PHAC has also designed a cybertool (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.

Wastewater 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.

Dr. Tam and Dr. Njoo smile as they listen to a question posed to them at a press conference.

Drs. Theresa Tam and Howard Njoo of the Public Health Agency of Canada, at a weekly COVID-19 press briefing in Ottawa.

Photo: The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

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 impactsdid 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

Leave a Comment