National Post (National Edition)
PM TO ADDRESS NATION ON `URGENCY OF FIGHTING COVID-19'
Health chief projects 155K cases by Oct. 2
OTTAWA • With COVID-19 cases rising in several parts of the country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address the nation Wednesday night, warning of the urgency in preventing a second wave.
Broadcasters have been asked for airtime for the address, which is expected to be around 6:30 p.m. eastern time.
A spokesperson from the prime minister’s office said the address will speak to the need to take the virus seriously.
“The Prime Minister will address Canadians directly on the urgency of fighting COVID-19 as we face down the prospect of a second wave of the virus,” reads the statement. “He will also give a summary of the government’s plans in the throne speech to fight the virus and build our economic recovery.”
After proroguing parliament for weeks, Trudeau is set to reveal a new legislative agenda, focused mostly on the pandemic, in a throne speech set for Wednesday afternoon, which will then be reinforced with his address in the evening.
Cases of COVID-19 are rising across the country, with several provinces seeing numbers they have not seen since earlier this year, when the nation was in lockdown.
Canada’s top public health doctor Theresa Tam revealed grim new modelling predicting that the country could hit as many as 155,000 cases by Oct. 2, a jump of roughly 10,000 cases from where the country is today.
She said if cases continue to grow on that scale Canada could be in a dire position in a few weeks.
“Most Canadians don’t have immunity to the virus. This surge could overwhelm our health system capacity and impact social and economic systems as well.”
Both Ontario and Quebec announced nearly 500 new cases each on Tuesday.
Tam said they are seeing new cases largely in the 20 to 39 age bracket and so far, they have seen only a slight increase in hospitalizations with no increase in deaths.
She said even though those people appear to be at a reduced risk of more severe outcomes from the virus, they can still spread it to people who are at great risk.
“People don’t exist in age group cohorts from morning to night, that doesn’t happen,” she said. “Some areas have begun to report small increases in hospitalizations, which is a reminder that spread in any age group can spillover to affect individuals and populations at high risk for severe outcomes.”
Tam said to reduce the spread people have to be in contact with far fewer people. She said that can be done without resorting to the lockdowns we saw in the spring, but people need to make good choices.
“We are at a bit of a crossroads. If you reduce those contacts and make some choices in terms of not going out to these social events we can manage without a lockdown,” she said. “The challenge we face now is to stay the course no matter how weary we may feel. We have done this before. We know what works.”
Health Minister Patty Hajdu said it about saying no and staying home more often.
“We have to get better at saying no more than yes to the invitations that we’re receiving to gather for barbecues in the backyard or parties to celebrate occasions.”
Canada also announced new vaccine purchases agreements, this time with Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical giant, that will supply the government with 72 million doses of their vaccine. The government is also purchasing 14 million more doses of a vaccine from Moderna.
To date, Canada has now purchased access to more than 150 million individual doses from five different companies, set to be delivered beginning early next year assuming the candidates are successful.
Procurement minister Anita Anand said the government has spent about $1 billion on five contracts so far, but some of that money would only be paid if the vaccines succeed.
“We are looking to the future and ready in Canada for a vaccine to enable us to emerge from this pandemic collectively,” she said. “We will be ready to offer it to Canadians in every corner of this country.”
The government also announced a deal for 150,000 doses of Remdesivir, a drug which has shown some ability to treat the virus.
“It is the only known antiviral drug at this time that has been shown to be effective in treating the most serious cases of COVID-19.”
HE WILL ALSO GIVE A SUMMARY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS IN THE THRONE SPEECH.