What Canadians need to know about COVID-19 and Omicron ahead of the fall, winter months – CTV
Aug. 25, 2022
With both cases of COVID-19 and influenza expected to rise this fall and winter, some experts say figuring out which illness is which could be challenging.
While Canada has gone through its own summer wave of COVID-19, data shows the number of people in hospital has levelled off in recent weeks and the number of people in intensive care has not spiked to the levels seen in previous waves, as of Aug. 15.
With pandemic restrictions largely lifted across provinces, more people are expected to spend additional time indoors this fall as the weather cools. Given this, doctors predict a rise in COVID-19 cases and other respiratory illnesses.
Dr. Stephanie Smith, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the University of Alberta, said the situation in Australia — where a resurgent flu season combined with COVID-19 has overwhelmed hospitals — could also play out in Canada.
