Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer is concerned the new COVID-19 Omicron variant could quickly overrun the health care system. Dr. Theresa Tam says there are over 2,360 confirmed cases to date and it’s rising rapidly. The national average of new cases last week was 5,000, while on Tuesday alone this week, over 1,100 new cases were reported, indicating numbers could be very high by the end of January. She adds that even if the variant turns out to be less severe, there could be a sudden and strong surge on the health care system.

Dr. Tam acknowledges that health care and public health workers have been there and have had to make daily sacrifices since the pandemic began, and at a time when they are possibly at their most exhausted, we are facing what could be the largest and most sudden impact to date. The Chief Public Health Officer urges everyone to get vaccinated and get their booster shots. She notes that over 7-million eligible Canadians still need a first or second dose.

Dr. Tam understands we are all dealing with disappointment and changed or disrupted plans, but advises everyone to take extra precautions to protect themselves and others and to safeguard the health system, so we can get through this quicker. She realizes these are not the holiday celebrations we all wished for, but says we aren’t back where we started, because we have vaccines, better knowledge of transmission, more testing options, and improved clinical management and treatments.