Sunday, March 15, 2020 ~ NATIONAL
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Today Sunday March 15 in Ottawa, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer,
Dr Theresa Tam, says that COVID-19 is a serious illness but that every Canadian can do their part to stem the tide of community spread of the virus for which there is no vaccine and no medical treatment.
She readily calls the situation a pandemic, or even an emergency, adding that for her it has always been seen as a pandemic from a public health planning point of view.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 global pandemic on March 11 after the situation meeting its own protocols for number of countries and manner of spread. The first death from COVID-19 in Canada was on March 9.
This is the time to take strong action to protect as many people in Canada as possible. Social distancing, avoiding non essential gatherings and travel will dampen transmission in our society.
Ways for people to do their part in that process include:
- All travelers from outside Canada (including residents returning home from vacation) are to take the additional precaution to self-isolate for 14 days;
- Avoid large public gatherings (currently the recommended size limit is 250 people);
- Increase your personal physical space (up to 2 metres/6ft from others);
- Ask your employer re contingencies (e.g. work from home);
- Avoid contact with high-risk groups (e.g. seniors, people in long-term care homes and patients in hospitals) so as not to potentially infect those persons but making sure those persons are fully supported and not socially isolated.
“I cannot stress enough that if you are at high risk, practice social distancing, and separate whenever and wherever you can,” said Dr Tam today.
Dr Tam said for Canadians this is “our chance right here and right now” to help contain or slow down the spread of COVID-19. In particular by avoiding seniors, people in long-term care homes, and in hospital. “That can really impact the country. If we can limit those kinds of spreads we can really reduce the level of impact and severity. We have a chance right now, to do our part, act in solidarity.”
“It’s a rapidly evolving situation,” said Dr Tam. “We are using many different channels to get the message to self-isolate. We are rapidly updating all the messaging, including at airports. Prior to this, the messaging was to self-monitor, now the message is changing to self-isolate.
“We appreciate all journalists to get this message out for us,” said Tam.
Referring frequently “to the science” in her messaging today, Dr Tam said: “We do know persons with symptoms are the most infectious.”
She said that where other countries are declaring emergencies, that in Canada that is not necessary. The needed measures for handling the constraints required in a pandemic are already in place.
===== LINKS:
Public Health Agency of Canada on COVID-19: situation updates, travel advice, how to be prepared, symptoms and treatment, prevention and risk, Canada’s response
World Health Organization COVID-19 Outbreak: FAQ, travel advice, situation reports, protect yourself