PM Says COVID-19 Variants Are 'Increasingly Out There' & We Need To Avoid A Third Wave

'We’re going to need to stay vigilant."
Contributor

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau provided Canada's COVID-19 update on Friday, February 12.

Speaking about COVID-19 virus variants, Trudeau said that "the new variants that are more communicable, more easily transmitted, are increasingly out there so we need to stay careful."

Editor's Choice: Trudeau Says COVID Vaccines Not 'Mandatory' But Not Getting Them Could Have 'Consequences'

We’re also investing $53 million for an integrated Variants of Concern Strategy to help monitor variants like the ones first detected in the U.K. and South Africa. Justin Trudeau

He said that the country is putting its best experts on this to ensure "Canada is ready to detect, track, and treat new cases."

While COVID-19 cases may be going down, the prime minister explained that Canadians need to stay vigilant "if we’re going to make it through this spring in the best possible way to be able to enjoy a better future for all."

He continued to say that no one wants to see a third wave of the pandemic, "particularly not one comprised of new, more communicable variants that can cause real challenges."

Trudeau noted that Canada's new travel restrictions are in place to reduce the spread of the variants. 

In the same conference, the prime minister confirmed that all Canadians who want COVID-19 vaccines will be able to get them in September, as originally promised. 

  • Britanny Burr was a Staff Writer at Narcity Canada, who drove growth within Narcity's Western coverage and readership. Having lived between her hometown, Canmore, Alberta and Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, and NYC over the past 10 years, she is obsessed with finding the best local hot spots. She holds a B.A. in English and has over six years of professional writing experience as Head Writer and Editor for YUL.Buzz in Montreal, and Creative Copywriter at JAKT in NYC. News by day, poetry by night — the written word is Britanny's nearest and dearest.

8 Ontario snow laws you might not know you can get fined up to $2,000 for breaking

Some of them also have time limits — so you'd better get shovelling. ❄️⏳

11 Air Canada jobs that pay up to $44 an hour and get you travel perks

You don't have to travel for work to get these travel perks! ✈️

8 bucket-list destinations Canadians are actually urged to avoid in 2026

Your 2026 bucket list might need some editing. 👀