Canada’s top medical official says with safe and effective vaccines expected to arrive this month, now is not the time to think COVID-19 is not a problem because fully controlling the virus is still many months away.

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the reality is Canada is still experiencing high case counts.

“So we need to keep to telling ourselves this is not a race to the finish but a test of our continued collective effort and resolve…and we will endure.”

Meantime, Tam says we must all abide by local public health guidelines, and continue safe personal practices.

Dr. Tam says the response to the pandemic has been the biggest collective effort in our lifetime. Nearly a quarter of a million doses of vaccine is due to arrive in Canada by the end of the month. (GX94)