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’Stronger’ measures needed across Canada to suppress COVID-19 resurgence: Tam

Longer-range forecast models predict resurgence of COVID-19 – unless people strictly follow the rules
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Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

As provinces push ahead with plans to reopen their economies, Canada’s chief public health officer is warning that current health orders are not enough to stop rapid growth of COVID-19.

Dr. Theresa Tam said today in a statement that longer-range forecast models predict a resurgence of COVID-19 infections unless public health measures are enhanced and people strictly follow the rules.

She says health orders across Canada need to be stronger, stricter and sustained long enough to control the rise of highly contagious novel coronavirus variants.

Quebec reopened gyms and spas in red zones, including Montreal, on Friday, and Premier Legault told reporters he wasn’t ready to reverse that decision.

The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario released a statement today urging Premier Doug Ford to scale back reopening plans, including the scheduled reopening of personal care services, such as hair salons, on April 12.

Quebec is reporting more than 1,000 new infections today for the first time since mid-February while Ontario’s new cases topped 2,400 for the first time since January.