CanadaB次元官网网址檚 chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam is doubling down on warnings to young Canadians to stop fuelling the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Tam delivered that pre-weekend warning B次元官网网址 one week after her deputy Dr. Howard Njoo did the same B次元官网网址 because of the worrying trend of rising infections among people aged 20 to 39.
Tam says that age group accounted for the highest incidence rates for COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks.
Tam outlined how the daily national case count, based on a seven-day average, is rising again across the country after falling earlier this summer.
Tam says the seven-day measure is the best way to assess the trend in the number of infections.
She says it stood at a high of 1,800 per day in early May, then dipped to 273 in early July, but in the last seven days the average daily count rose to 487.
The 20-to-39 age group accounted for 60 per cent of those cases, and one-third of them had to be hospitalized, said Tam.
B次元官网网址淚 must urge all Canadians, particularly younger adults, to not give in to COVID-19 fatigue,B次元官网网址 she said Friday in Ottawa.
B次元官网网址淭his is your generation and your future that is being shaped. Younger age groups are not invincible against COVID-19,B次元官网网址 said Tam, who returned to the governmentB次元官网网址檚 public briefings after her own summer break.
B次元官网网址淭he upward trend in daily case counts is worrisome. We know that we have the means to keep COVID-19 under control, but this is by no means a sure thing. It is going to take all Canadians doing their part and working together, with public health, to keep the curve down.B次元官网网址
Tam noted that less than one per cent of the Canadian population has been infected, which means the population remains highly susceptible to getting sick.
B次元官网网址淚f we let our guard down, the disease will work its way to our parents, and grandparents and other vulnerable people who need to be protected through our actions,B次元官网网址 she said.
B次元官网网址淣ow is the chance to be a lifesaver. We all need to take this disease, and our responsibility to protect others, seriously.B次元官网网址
Health Minister Patty Hajdu urged Canadians to choose less and safer contact with others, and to avoid smaller spaces.
B次元官网网址淎sk yourself before you go out this weekend, is what IB次元官网网址檓 about to do worth the risk? Is the worth the risk that I might end up very sick or someone within my circle will?B次元官网网址
Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press
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