Monday March 16, 2020 ~ NATIONAL
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Today Monday March 16, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address Canadians about COVID-19 at 10 am.
- The Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, accompanied by Minister Patty Hajdu, Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister Bill Blair, Minister Marc Garneau, and Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam, will then be available to answer additional questions at the National Press Theatre.
- At 11 am there will be another daily update from the BC Health Minister and BC Provincial Health Officer.
As of last night March 15, there are over 341 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in Canada, up from 197 on Friday. There are 73 cases in BC (as of Saturday March 14). There are now cases in all provinces, with the highest tallies in BC, Alberta and Ontario.
Confirmed cases include Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau who tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Trudeau is self-isolating and running the country from home.
Yesterday Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr Theresa Tam said anyone coming home from travel outside Canada should automatically self-isolate for 14 days, as part of helping to contain COVID-19 spread. She asked everyone in Canada to do their part by maintaining social distancing and self-isolation.
Dr Tam asks people to avoid non essential gatherings and travel as a way to help ‘flatten the curve’ or dampen COVID-19 transmission in our society.
The COVID-19 scenario in Canada has now escaped the definition of ‘low’ risk. This scenario could last for weeks, or even months.
Most events and social gatherings are now cancelled in BC (based on a directive for no groups of larger than 250 to gather). People should really only be going out near other people for essentials like groceries and to medical appointments. However, it’s okay to be outdoors in fresh air while maintaining a 2-metre (6 ft) distance from other people.
Schools in BC are on spring break (March 14 to 29), and the Ministry of Education is staying in touch with school districts as to direction for March 30 onward.
For families in the west shore, SD62 Superintendent Scott Stinson says that any decision to close schools will come from the Ministry of Education and Public Health Officials, adding: “If a student is sick, please keep them home.”
Schools in Alberta are closed indefinitely.
There are over 153,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide as of March 15, 2020. Canada’s public health officials feel they have been successful in ‘buying time’ before there is an upsurge in the number of infected persons in this country. That helps the frontline health care system prepare for an increase in demand for acute care.
==== NOTES
Parliament has been suspended until April 20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as voted upon Friday March 13 in the House of Commons.