Ottawa (CNN) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Canadians that public health measures, including restrictions on indoor social gatherings, would have to continue for weeks to come as new Covid-19 variants, and a slow vaccine rollout, risk causing a dangerous third wave of the virus. "We have to keep taking strong public health measures," said Trudeau during a news conference Friday adding, "otherwise we could see a third wave that is even worse than the second or the first, and I know that's not the news you want to hear." Canadian public health officials released alarming new modeling Friday indicating that even current public health measures will not be enough to contain a third wave if fueled by faster spreading variants of Covid-19. The new modeling underscores the fact that "variants of concern" have now been detected in all provinces and continue to spread. Based on the projections released by public health officials, current public health measures would not be enough to contain the spread of the virus by Spring if the new, more contagious variants take hold.

Source: CNN February 19, 2021 21:33 UTC