Dr. Tam Warns That Not Seeing Too Many Friends Is Key To Keeping Case Numbers Low
You might want to hold off on any big get-togethers with friends. COVID-19 in Canada may be getting under control but Dr. Theresa Tam has warned Canadians to still not see too many people. That's the key to successful contact tracing and keeping case numbers low.
On Twitter, Canada's top doctor warned that controlling COVID-19 really depends on how everybody acts individually.
"Limit your number of close contacts to a small and easily identifiable list to lower your risk of infection," Dr. Tam suggested.
That can help public health officials trace the virus and quickly tell anyone you've come into contact with that they need to quarantine.
When those contacts are traced and quarantined in a short period of time, it's less likely that they will spread the virus to others if they have it.
So, even though provinces are moving through their reopening stages and you can gather in bigger groups or sit on patios now in some places, there's still work to be done.
Canada's top doctor wants everyone to still be careful.
Dr. Tam also said that along with the actions of individuals, acting fast to test and trace is essential for controlling the spread of the virus.
A week prior to Dr. Tam's warning about limiting contact, she confirmed that Canada had flattened the curve.
"This progress is encouraging," she said then.
However, she noted that we still have to continue following public health measures.
The Public Health Agency of Canada also released new data and modelling that shows new cases are on the decline across the country.
Lower daily case counts also make it easier to contact trace and stop the spread.
Justin Trudeau announced in June that a COVID-19 contact tracing app would be coming soon for Canadians.
It's a voluntary thing so you don't have to download it if you don't want to.
If you have the app and test positive, your status will be uploaded anonymously to a national network. Then people who have the app and have been in close proximity with you will get notified.
It will tell them they've been exposed and encourage them to reach out to their public health authority.
The app was supposed to be tested in Ontario starting on July 2 before launching nationwide but that has been delayed.