'It is here to stay': Manitoba public health says everyone will likely be exposed to COVID-19 in the coming weeks
Manitoba public health is shifting to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 instead of containing it, saying with the highly transmissible Omicron variant in play, it is likely everyone will be exposed to the virus in the coming weeks.
During a public health update on Wednesday, Dr. Jazz Atwal, the deputy chief provincial public health officer, said COVID-19 is no longer an emerging illness.
"It is here to stay and our ability to contain the virus is limited," Atwal said.
He said the Omicron variant is highly transmissible – one person may infect 12 to 16 people.
"It is highly likely everyone will be exposed to the virus in the coming weeks," Atwal said, adding some Manitobans will have immunity from a previous infection or vaccines.
"This will make COVID cases less severe, but the sheer number of cases still has the potential to overwhelm our health-care system which is something we are monitoring closely."
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said the next few weeks will be challenging.
"We must learn to live with this virus," she said.
"Vaccines work and now more than ever with the Omicron variant circulating thoughout Manitoba, it is crucial that all Manitobans get fully vaccinated, including the third dose when you're eligible."
Atwal said given the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, public health can't manage cases on an individual level.
"We have to focus on managing the risk at the community level. We have to shift to mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and away from containing the virus," he said.
"It means we are shifting our approaches to focus our efforts and our resources to best manage the risk."
He said the best way for people to protect themselves is to get vaccinated and to get their booster shot.
This is a developing story. More details to come.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.