Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on May 22, 2021

OTTAWA, ON, May 22, 2021 /CNW/ -

This past week we marked some incredible milestones in COVID-19 vaccines delivery and vaccination coverage, including delivery of 4.5 million doses of vaccines ahead of the long weekend and reaching 20 million vaccines administered across the country date! At every stage Canadians have been stepping up individually and collectively to receive their vaccine or to help and encourage others to get their vaccine as provinces, territories and local communities have expanded and innovated their vaccination programs. I have been encouraged and continually inspired by the creative ways Canadians have supported each other. A key factor supercharging our Canadian vaccination efforts is the local ownership and leadership that knows best how to bring community members together, providing access and building confidence and cultural comfort tailored to the populations they serve.

Among the many inspirational examples, is the partnering of the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council with the National Reconciliation Program at Save the Children to lead an Indigenous youth vaccine advocacy program. For this initiative, youth participants created their own innovative social media strategy to share videos about how COVID-19 has affected them and their reasons for getting vaccinated. Their videos can be found on several social media platforms by searching for their hashtags including #IndigenousYouth4Vaccine and #SmudgeCOVID. Among other great examples of local ownership, are the many vaccination clinics that are using music to create a welcoming atmosphere, such as the vaccination clinic organised by the Black Creek Community Health Centre. Using music to boost morale and create a positive, uplifting atmosphere, community members are welcomed, while also being supported with credible information and answers to their questions to aid them with informed and confident decision making. These initiatives remind us that working together, is the best way to support each other in our shared goal of building the vaccines bridge to take us to a better summer and safer fall.

As COVID-19 activity continues in Canada, we are tracking a range of epidemiological indicators to monitor where the disease is most active, where it is spreading and how it is impacting the health of Canadians and public health, laboratory and healthcare capacity. At the same time, the Public Health Agency of Canada is providing Canadians with regular updates on COVID-19 vaccines administered, vaccination coverage and ongoing monitoring of vaccine safety across the country. The following is the latest summary on national numbers and trends, and the actions we all need to be taking to reduce infection rates, while vaccination programs expand for the protection of all Canadians.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 1,352,121 cases of COVID-19, including 57,970 active cases and 25,162 deaths reported in Canada; these cumulative numbers tell us about the overall burden of COVID-19 illness to date. They also tell us, together with results of serological studies, that a large majority of Canadians remain susceptible to COVID-19. Multiple safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, with unique advantages, are authorised for use in Canada. As vaccine delivery continues to ramp up at an accelerated pace, there is increasing optimism that widespread and lasting immunity can be achieved through COVID-19 vaccination. Benefits are being seen among groups targeted for priority vaccination and as vaccine coverage increases across Canada, we can expect further benefits to protect more Canadians over the coming weeks and months.

We are making steady progress, with over 30% fewer active cases compared to the peak of the third wave in mid-April. However, as COVID-19 activity remains elevated in many jurisdictions, strong public health measures must be sustained where COVID-19 is circulating and individual precautions are important everywhere to drive infection rates down to low and manageable levels, while getting our vaccination rates as high as possible. Further, as resurgences have followed social gatherings during past long weekends and holidays, maintaining precautions this long weekend remains critical for sustaining our progress.

While the latest national-level data show continued declines in disease activity with an average of 5,004 cases reported daily during the latest 7 day period (May 14-20), a decrease of 26% compared to the week prior, infection rates daily case counts remain high in many areas of the country. For the week of May 9-15, there were on average of 110,492 tests completed daily across Canada, of which 5.6% were positive for COVID-19, compared to 6.0% the week prior. Until vaccine coverage is sufficiently high to impact disease transmission more broadly in the community, we must maintain a high degree of caution with public health and individual measures and not ease restrictions too soon or too quickly where infection rates are high.  

Elevated infection rates continue to impact lagging COVID-19 severity indicators, particularly in areas with sustained high levels of disease activity. Although we are beginning see some decline in these trends, persistently high numbers of severe and critical illnesses are placing a prolonged and heavy strain on the health system and healthcare workforce. Provincial and territorial data indicate that an average of 3,458 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent 7-day period (May 14-20), which is 10% fewer than last week. This includes, on average 1,311 people who were being treated in intensive care units (ICU), 4% fewer than last week. Although the mortality trend has recently leveled off, with a 7-day average of 41 deaths reported daily (May 14-20), continued high rates of infection and high numbers of hospitalisations and critical care admissions could continue to impact this trend.

While COVID-19 is occurring across all age groups in Canada, infection rates are highest among those under 60 years of age. Serious illness can occur at any age and evidence indicates that variants of concern can be associated with more severe illness and increased risk of death. Variants of concern (VOCs) now represent a majority of COVID-19 cases in Canada, with the B.1.1.7 variant now reported in all provinces and territories and accounting for over 95% of VOCs sequenced to date. As the B.1.1.7 variant spreads more quickly and has been associated with increased severity, and as vaccines may be less effective against other variants, such as the P.1 and B.1.351 variants, it is even more important to remain vigilant with all available measures to suppress spread. The most recently designated VOC, B.1.617, has been identified across all provinces and one territory, as of May 19, 2021. There are three sub-lineages that are being studied, which may have different properties. Early data from the United Kingdom indicate that the B.1.617.2 sub-lineage could be more transmissible than the B.1.1.7 variant, while laboratory data suggest that this sub-lineage will not significantly impact the effectiveness of vaccines. B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.3 sub-lineages are less well understood but may be less affected by vaccines, like P.1 and B.1.351. While the impact of the B.1.617 variant and sub-lineages are still being assessed to characterize their impact in the Canadian context, we know that vaccination, in combination with public health and individual measures work to reduce spread.

As vaccine eligibility expands, Canadians are urged to get vaccinated and support others to get vaccinated as vaccines become available to them. However, regardless of our vaccination status, Canadians are urged to remain vigilant, continue following local public health advice, and consistently maintain individual practices that keep us and our families safer, even as we're beginning to see the positive impacts of COVID-19 vaccines: stay home/self-isolate if you have any symptoms, think about the risks and reduce non-essential activities and outings to a minimum, avoid all non-essential travel, and maintain individual protective practices of physical distancing, hand, cough and surface hygiene and wearing a well-fitted and properly worn face mask as appropriate (including in shared spaces, indoors or outdoors, with people from outside of your immediate household).

For more information regarding the risks and benefits of vaccination, I encourage Canadians to reach out to your local public health authorities, healthcare provider, or other trusted and credible sources, such as Canada.ca and Immunize.ca. Working together, Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, Canada's Chief Medical Officers of Health and other health professionals across the country are closely monitoring vaccine safety, effectiveness and optimal use to adapt approaches. As the science and situation evolves, we are committed to providing clear and evidence-informed guidance in order to keep everyone in Canada safe and healthy.

Canadians can also go the extra mile by sharing credible information on COVID-19 risks and prevention practices and measures to reduce COVID-19 in communities and by downloading the COVID Alert app to break the cycle of infection and help limit the spread of COVID-19. Read my backgrounder to access more COVID-19 Information and Resources on ways to reduce the risks and protect yourself and others, including information on COVID-19 vaccination.

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada