COVID-19 will be with us for ‘foreseeable future’ PHAC says, warning of future waves

COVID-19 will be a reality for the “foreseeable future,” Canada’s top doctors are warning as the country is facing yet another resurgence of the virus.The forecast comes as Canada experiences an uptick in cases in many jurisdictions across the country, with a 28 per cent increase in daily average case counts as of March 31, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Vaccinated travellers no longer need pre-entry COVID-19 tests to enter Canada The latest surge will be Canada’s sixth wave of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.“COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future,” said deputy chief public health officer Dr.

Howard Njoo, speaking in French on Friday.Because of this reality, Canada is preparing for two scenarios, he added.The first is the most likely scenario, in which COVID-19 continues to resurge in small, manageable waves.

The second, less likely option, is that a new, severe and vaccine-evasive strain of the virus could emerge, which could substantially impact our healthcare systems.“While we need to be prepared for a worst-case scenario, in the near term, our most significant risk may be a resurgence that coincides with the return of other seasonal respiratory viruses,” Njoo said.“This is why now is a crucial time to focus on preparedness, in addition to recovery.”The uptick in COVID-19 cases was partially driven by the highly transmissible BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, PHAC officials said.But provinces across Canada have recently dropped a number of COVID-19 restrictions in most settings, including masking and proof of vaccination.