Parses captions for PM Trudeau's daily speeches and presents them in a more human readable format
Rosemary:
Ok. and that is the Prime Minister of Canada giving us his daily briefing on how his government is fighting and responding to COVID-19. The announcement today, primarily about how the government plans to invest1.1 billion into science and research. Some of it for research, as I said. More than $600 million for the beginning of clinical trials. and nor money to expand testing and modeling but also strong word there is from the Prime Minister for the first time really about the state of long-term care centres, now that there are military members who have to go into Ontario and Quebec to help. That is the end of our coverage on cbc television. If you want to continue watching, go to cbc news network or cbc. Ca. I’m rosemary barton. Thank you for watching. [please stand by]
Vassy:
He was asked what that means in the long-term andwhat role the federal governmentis prepared to play and I thinkthe salient thing for ouraudience and people watching toknow is that long-term care isprovisional jurisdiction. Provinces, basically, regulateit and maintain it and develop asystem for it and in manyprovinces there was a dicotomoussystem and privately-run homes, as well. The federal government has notplayed a role other thanreleasing voluntary guidelines. I asked about it and if you givethem the province’s money fortop-ups, will there be stringsattached. I think the Prime Minister iscorrect in echoing sentimentsesof people across this countryright now and I think the nextphase is that those people willlook now to the federalgovernment to see what kind ofleadership they will play inanswering so many.
Question:
S.
Rosemary:
There are conditioned attached sometime sand the provinces have to perform at a level and that might get them through a certain period of time there andcatherine, what stood out for you there?
I don’t we hear a language like that but when we look atlong-term care facilities inontario and Quebec, the numberof people dying, I I think it isapplicable and I think it’simportant, though won’t be totalk about the money announced, $1.1 billion in researchstrategy, a lot of interestingthings in there. Vaccine research, clinicaltrials, as well as this newtraffic force around modelingand whatnot. I thought particularly in someof the Prime Minister’s lastanswers, he touched on avaccine, if and when one wasdeveloped, that would haveimplications to the supply chainand that would we need toproduce it in Canada. I’m sure our viewers can call tomind the stories of competingplanes in china, trying to getshiploads of equipment andtrying to produce a vaccine inthis country if one isdiscovered here or elsewherebecause, of course, the wholeworld is facing this problem andmade an interesting point at theend. So much interestingunderstandably in developing avaccine that being seen in manyways as the only solution tothis new normal until then, notgetting back to normal and madethe comparison to aids sayingdecades and decades have goinginto making a vaccine for that. There is not a vaccine yet butthere is a treatment and thatcould be part of the picture, as well. It’s a multifaceted issue. There are things to talk aboutin terms of blood testing. The United States is in some ways furtherahead signing off on testingthat haven’t been effective, soa sot to unpack there.
Rosemary:
I want to squeeze in a guest before the cabinet ministers and public health officials come out because one of the other things the Prime Minister was asked about are the outbreaks inside the processingplants, meat processing plants of the three biggest plants in this country, two now have severe outbreaks and there are other meat processing plants in the country that are hit with the same thing. a volunteer with the emergency response task force in calgaryjoins me now. Good to see you. and the reason we’re speaking to you is because many of the workers at the cargo plant, where there has been an outbreak are part of your community, thephilippino community. How are people doing given that this has spread so quickly amongst the workers and thecommunity?
Well, we have been talking with some of the workers and families and community member sand so there’s a lot of anxiety and fear that they’re feeling. They fear about whether they’reworkplace is a safe place to work and they don’t have the confidence right now that that’shappening and many of them actually voice their concerns two weeks ago when it was quite small and there were no immediate actions based on theirconcerns. It’s their concerns and perspectives that they really want the officials and leaders to take them seriously and thatthey’re concerned about their economic well-being, of course, because many of them aretemporary foreign workers andtheir stay in Canada isconnected to their employment. They only work with oneemployee, right? but there are also concernsabout the community itself. They know that they have anessential job to do, which is toprovide food to Canadians andthey take pride in there, butthey’re thinking about whetherthey’re contributing to thespread and they’re veryconcerned about that, as well.
Rosemary:
So it is temporarily closed, I should point out, and there is now an investigation in terms of how this unfolded, why it wasn’tclosed sooner and all thosethings. But I noticed the public healthofficer, Dr. Hinshaw said one of the other public concerns was that some of the people were carpooling to work and they’refriends and hang out socially. and so it wasn’t just a matter of working together. It was all the other pieces ofthis. So I wonder, what have they told you about the concern that they may have as you’ve just said, maybe spreading it to family members or community and were they told anything about thedangers, the potential dangers of that?
I think they’re very aware and that’s why they were active in providing this advice to thecompany. One of the things that people need to understand is that many of them come as individuals. So when we talk about isolation and being in isolation at home, they are in isolation with theirfamilies. They live in multi–residentdwellings because that’s thenature of their situation andthey share recordingses liketransportation. If an action or set of actionsneed to be developed oraddressed, then the big pictureneeds to come in, right, becausethat’s their world, right andthat’s what they’re saying isthat their voices and concernsneed to be heard because theyknow what their situations areand what kinds of supports needto be in place, right? this is not just lifestylequestions. These are situations of theirlives. and that needs to be a part ofthe deal.
Rosemary:
Let me end onthis, so the plant has been temporarily closed and these are foreign workers, many of them, not all of them. What have people been told about either their salary or status in the country, do you know?
That’s part of some of the confusion and not very clear and so the company has said the plant is being idled and so what does that mean? and so we’ve been reaching out to them and making sure of the options they have, whetherthat’s ei, CERB. Because many feel they contracted the infection through work and that means CB likeworkers’ compensation, right. I also want to state that situation highlights some vulnerabilities that have been in place, especially for temporary foreign workers. If these are essential service sand COVID-19 shows that our food supply is essential, then we need to think seriously, the kinds of supports and the kind of respect and acknowledgement of the workers working in thesesituations. Essential services shouldn’thave dispensable workers.
Rosemary:
That’s a goodpoint, Cesar cala. Thank you and appreciate you weighing in with what some the workers are going through and give them our best. Cesar is with the task force incalgary. I’ll go back to My colleagues, Vassy and Catherine, and we will turn our attention tosaskatchewan, because thepremier, Scott Moe, will outline the five steps they wants to Putin place to reopen the province in the next couple of weeks and that will be of importance, really, to all of us and that might give us a picture of what other provinces will do on their own timeline. Interesting talking tocesar Carla there about the meat plant in Calgary, only becauseit, again, not unlike the seniors in the long-term carecentres exposed the fact that, perhaps, we were not treatingworkers, essential workers ortemporary foreign workers in thebest way or protecting them inthe best way through this. and maybe that, too, will have to be something we reexamine as a country if our supply chainsare so vitally important andfood security is a priority andmaybe we need to fix the waywe’re treating people who aredoing that essential work inmaking sure we can all eat, Vassy.
Vassy:
To build on that, there are outstanding questionswe’ve been trying to get answers to to the layers of accountability in all of this and I’m thinking specifically of that meat plant, the head of the union there told me a few day sago the first inspection done on some of the complaints was done with a cell phone, viaface-time. I have yet to confirm whetherthat’s the only inspection donebut that obviously left a lot ofthe workers there feeling a bituneasy about the level ofoversight. They’re asking for the federalgovernment, for example, thatunion to intervene. and I know there are differentlevels and occupational healthand safety at the provisionallevel and the food inspectionagency at the federal level. But I think that you’re right inthat this isn’t an environmentthat is isolated in a way, butthey do a service that rightacross the country we rely onincredibly heavy on. So I think you’re right to pointto it and I think there arequestions for both levels ofgovernment.
Rosemary:
Thank you, Vassy. We will come back to you, Catherine after this briefing, if I have time. Here it is. (speaking french).
So today we will hear fromcanada’s chief public healthofficer, Dr. Tam, Dr. Howardnjoo, patty hajdu and minister of science and innovation, Dr. Bains, Dr. Mononeme. and the president of treasuryboard. Dr. Tam.
Good afternoon, I’ll start with the latest numbers oncovid-19 in Canada. There are now 40, 190 confirmedcases, including 1, 974 deaths. To date, labs across Canada have tested over 620, 000 people wit hover 6.5% of them testingpositive. Although we are still facing considerable challenges from need to extinguish outbreaks and ramping out testing and tracing to manage persistent change in community settings, today is great day to consider the progress we’ve made. There are still a lot of unknowns but the pace and expanse and science innovation is inspiring. From discovering to building our understanding of COVID-19disease, characteristics andspread through tried and throughscience, we’ve gone ahead inleaps and bounds. We can see some of theadvantages of a more virtuallyconnected technology-poweredsociety. But this is made better andfaster and more powerful when wework together towards a sharedgoal. We’re seeing the power ofsolidarity with researcherscollaborating across borders andbeta-trackers scrubbing the webto share up-to-the minute chartsfor all of the word to see andvirtual collaboration platformssharing research findings onvirus strain information andprepublication scientificstudies. It is hard to imagine where wewould be without this rapid andopen sharing of research andscientific advancement on biomedical, social and policycounter measures. There is the ever present riskof emerging diseases that spreadrapidly around the world andtoday’s announcements give ushope for our future in a worldthat is connected and unitedtowards a goal and with brainpower funded, supported andtrusted, we can reach a wholenew level of capacity to respondto infectious disease threatsnow and into the future. Go science! thank you. [ laughter ]
Thank you very much, Dr. Tam. (speaking french).
and now, Dr. Howard Njoo. Thank you, good morning. We will begin with the latest numbers on COVID-19. There are 41, 991 cases, including 1, 974 deaths. To date, labs across Canada have tested over 620, 000 people wit hover 6.5% of these testingpositive. Although we are still facing considerable challenges from the need to distinguish outbreak sand ramping up testing to root out and manage changes in community settings, today is great day. Day to consider all of the progress that we’ve made. There are still a lot ofunknowns, but the pace and expanse of discovery and science innovation is inspiring from discovery and genetic sequencing of the virus in to building our understanding of COVID-19characteristics and spreadthrough tried and true appliedepidemiological investigation, we’ve progressed in leaps andbounds. If we rest back on priorpandemics in the recent and moredistant past, we can see some ofthe advantages of a morevirtually connectedtechnology-powered society. But this, like everything else, is made better, faster and morepowerful when we work togethertoward a shared goal. We have seen the power ofsolidarity in a connected world. With researchers collaboratingacross borders, data trackersscrubbing the web to shareup-to-the minute stats andcharts for all of the world tosee and virtual collaborationplatforms sharing acceleratedresearch findings on virusstrain information andprepublication scientificstudies. It is hard to imagine where wewould be without this rapid andopen sharing of research andscientific advancement onbiomedical, social and policycountermeasures. While one of the downsides of ahighly connected word is theever-present risk of emergingdiseases, the spread rapidlyaround the world, today’sannouncements give us hope forour future in a world that isconnected and united towards agoal with brain power that isfunded, supported and trusted, we can reach a whole new levelof capacity to respond toinfectious disease stress nowand into the future. Go science! thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Njoo. Mr. Hajdu.
Thank you. Good afternoon, everybody, the question I hear no matter whoi’m speaking to is essentially when will things go back normal and this is a simple question with a complicated answer and one that we science to better understand the solutions for. What is the virus about, how do we control it and how can we defeat it and these are all parts of the answer to when will things go back to normal. (speaking french).
We know there are people, some Canadians who have hadcovid-19, but have never been diagnosed because they had no symptoms or only mild symptoms. We also know that blood test scan detect antibodies to thecovid-19 virus and tell us who in our community has beeninfected. We need data and research that will help us to understand the extent of the community spread of the virus. We also need a better sense of what to expect in the coming months during a possible second wave of infection and a better picture to help us guide public health decisions that will be needed to ease restrictions in place right now. This understanding of canadianexposure is critically important to take the right steps at the right time and that’s why this morning the prime minister announced an importantcanada-wide study to trackcovid-19 infections. I want to thank Dr. David nayloand Dr. Evans for helping us tobetter equipment over the nextfew months and this will help usto contribute to our country’sability to manage COVID-19 wellinto the future. I also want to highlightimportant investments that wealso announced this morning. Part of the research fundingthrough the canadian institutesof health research will help tobetter understand the mentalhealth challenges that canadiansare facing as a result of livingwith COVID-19 and how and whatmeasures can help with theseparticular challenges. Other parts of the funding willaccelerate the testing ofpromising vaccines, diagnosticsand measures to contain thespread of the virus. These are all important stepsthat we’re taking to help usfully understand the virus andhow Canadians can continue tolive with the virus in thesafest and healthiest wayspossible. The more we understand it, thesooner we will reach the newnormal. I want to thank the research andeconomic data across Canada thatis working so hard in so manyways to help us get through thisdifficult time and have thescience and evidence we need totake those important next steps. Thank you very much.
Thank you, and now we will hear from our Minister ofinnovation.
Over the past weeks we’vebeen working hard to mobilizecanada’s research communities to tackle this global pandemic. (speaking french).
I cannot thank enough everyone involved. Together, we are all working for promising research to discover vaccine to counter the virus. Our government invested in the largest amount in Canada’shistory toward fundamentalscience, unleashing the power of the world-class researchers andscientists in responding to thiscrisis. I’m pleased to announce aninvestment of $40 million thatwill allow genum Canada andsigem for a coordinated effortacross Canada. Canadian scientists willsequence 1, 000 genomes to trackthe evolution of this virus asit’s spreads. Canada is an established leaderin genomic research and thiswill be accessible toresearchers around the world tomove ahead with this globalfight against COVID-19. The funding will provideinfrastructure and operationalsupport to prepare vials forindividual doses as soon as avaccine becomes available. We’re announcing an investmentin $300 million insaskatchewan’s internationalvaccine centre and this fundingwill support preclinical testingand clinical trials of COVID-19vaccine candidates. Next, we’re also providing$600 million towards a strategicinnovation fund, the COVID-19stream, to deliver directsupport to canadian companiesfor large-scale projects. This will help companies withpromising vaccine treatment forcandidates to move to clinicaltrials, as well as expandcanadian bio manufacturingopportunitying so we canmanufacture a vaccine in canadawhen one becomes available. (speaking french).
Thanks to these investment sand the measure we’ve taken over the past few weeks, we will ensure that Canada can develop, test and manufacture vaccine sand therapeutic productsforcans. Canada has some of the best scientists in the world and cannot thank them enough to addressing this mutual cause. Once again, thank you very much. Merci.beaucoup.
Thank you. (speaking french).
Science has been our best weapon in this pandemic, but we need more science about this new virus to overcome it and to ensure societal well-being. For example, we don’t know howmany people were infected withcovid-19 because it turns outmany individuals may have beeninfected but show no symptoms. The current wide-spread testingor pcr test as you know itchecks the presence of thevirus, so it provides importantdata on who is infected at agiven time, which is now, whenyou do this test. Serology or immunitydefinitelying tell us – beforei should maybe explain it. So serology testing checks forantibodies that are generated inresponse to an infection. So they tell us who has alreadyhad exposure to the virus, whowas infected but didn’t know it. Together, the two tests willgive us a better idea of therate of infection in thepopulation serology testing willalso tell us how quicklyimmunity develops and also fateand this is important in guidingour recovery strategy. Other important information thatwe’re still missing is howquickly the virus changes ormutates to escape detection andwhether certain individuals aremore susceptible to infection orless able to overcome it. This is why the genomic isimportant. It determines the DNA Sequence of infectedindividuals. Together, the immunity and the dgenomic will prevent futureinfection. (speaking french).
It’s important to understand why certain groups are more vulnerable to the disease thanothers. The answers to these question swill provide us with the knowledge we need in order to battle this disease. and better plan the future. That is why today’s investment that were announced will benefit all Canadians. Today’s announcement will enable immunity testing, genomicsequences and vaccine research and development, providemuch-needed support for theresearch that will help us whenagainst the war on COVID-19 andto make decisions that willultimately benefit us all. Thank you.
Thank you very much. (speaking french).
and now, the president of treasury board, jean Duclos has the floor.
Thank you. Clearly, we are facing an unprecedented health crisis andeconomic, too. I would like to give you you anupdate. This is the emergency reliefbenefit, the Canadian small business loan, as well as the other emergency benefits. 8.9 million applications were received and processed for thecerb benefit for a total of 6.8applicants across the country. As for the small business emergency relief fund, 351 small businesses have received their approval for this loan and are minder for the way the emergency wage subsidy sincetuesday, Canada revenue agency has provided a website forbusinesses.
Rosemary:
We’ll pull away from this federal briefing andi’ll end on the two important notes from the president of the treasury board. Now 8.9 million Canadians have applied for that canadaemergency relief benefit, the$2, 000 a month that you can ta pinto if you’ve lost your job because of COVID-19 and small businesses are also taking advantage of that small business loan of $40, 000 that is nowavailable. 350, 000 small businesses in this country have received approval for that, a reminder that on next Monday, the wage subsidyprogramme opens up for approval son the government’s website. But we want to take you now tosaskatchewan where the premier, Scott Moe, and the chief medical officer are outliningsaskatchewan’s plan to reopen its economy. Saskatchewan currently has 326cases of COVID-19, just 61 of them are active and here is the premier now.
This is a plan that will be conducted in phases. and we will carefully monitor transmission and other factors during each of those phases and we will adjust the plan, ifrequired. As we move through this reopening process, we will continue testing and continue contact and keep a close eye on the numbers, while always remembering these are not justnumbers. They are people. and they are saskatchewanpeople. At the same time, the economy is also not just numbers. It’s not just some abstractconcept. The economy is a job that allows you to support yourself and your family and today, that job maybe gone. The economy is the small business you spent your life and your life savings building andtoday, that business may not beopen. They are also saskatchewanpeople. So we have to find the rightpaths. We have to find the middle ground that continues to keep our case numbers low and keepsaskatchewan people safe while at the same time allowing for businesses to reopen andsaskatchewan people to get back to work. So with that goal in mind, here is our plan. Over the next several weeks, restrictions will be gradually lifted adding more businesses to the business’ list, meaning they can reopen if they choose. All businesses and public venue swill be required to continue following good physical distancing and cleanliness practises to protect both theiremployees, as well as their customers and customers will be expected to follow the physical distancing rules and most importantly to stay home ifyou’re feeling unwell at all. All of the safe physical distancing rules and restrictions that businesses will be required to follow have been compiled in one comprehensive document called the reopen Saskatchewan plan. and this document can be found on the province’s COVID-19website and provided as a partof the media package here today. These restrictions will belifted in phases and thosephases and the businessesincluded in each of those phasesare also outlined in that reopensaskatchewan plan on thegovernment website and in themedia package. As always, if anyone has anyquestions, you can call ourbusiness response team supportline at (844)800-8688. So phase one will begin onmonday, may 4th. and on that date, medicalservices such as dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, physical therapists andoccupational therapists will beallowed to open. All medical service providerswill have to take precautionarymeasures such as gloves and facemasks when social distancing maynot be possible. Because of this, we recognisedsome of the providers may not beimmediately able to deliver all of the services they normallywould. As Dr. Shahab said the otherday, with the weather warming upand we are seeing that, peopleare wanting to spend more timeoutdoors and that’s a goodthing, as long it’s done safely. So as a part of phase one, someoutdoor activities will also beallowed to open withrestrictions over the course ofthe next number of weeks. For example, parks will be openfor boating and fishing onmay 4th. While overnight camping canbegin on June 1st. Camping areas willing currentlybe operating at 50% capacity sothat every other camping spotwill be able to be empty. and until further notice, Saskatchewan’s parks will berestricted for overnight campingto Saskatchewan residents only. The online reservation systemfor parks will open may 4th. Golf courses can open on may 15th, just in time for thelong m weekend. Golf courses will have to followdistancing rules, such as oneperson on a golf cart andelevated comes in the hole sothat you don’t putt your ballinto the hole and have to placeyour hand into the hole toretrieve the ball. Phase two of our plan will begintuesday, may 19th, just afterthe may-long weekend. In phase two, currentlyrestricted retail stores andsome the personal services willbe allowed to open. Retail stores including clothingstores, shoe stores, flowershops, sporting good stores andelectronic stores. Personal services allowed inphase two will includehairdressers and barber shops, accupuncturists and massagetherapists. Again, all of these businesseswill have to follow practises toprotect their employees and toprotect their customers. and those guidelines, again, areavailable in the comprehensivedocument that is provided on thegovernment website. At this date, we do not havedates set for any subsequentphases. Those dates will be decided inthe weeks ahead after carefulmonitoring and the impact ofthese first two phases. Phase three will see restaurantsand bars reopen at 50% capacity. Other personal services that maynot have been included in phaseone or two will be allowed toopen in phase three. Phase four will see recreationand entertainment facilitiesbegin to reopen. and those would includefacilities such as gyms, swimming pools, theatres, casinos and museums. and finally, phase five would bethe consideration of liftingsome of the broader and thelonger-term restricts in placebut that would be consideredmany weeks down the road. Now I know some will beconcerned that this is far toosoon, that reopening businesses in the coming weeks couldincrease the spread of COVID-19. and I think it’s important forus to remember that over thelast number of weeks, there hasbeen many retail stores insaskatchewan that have remainedopen. Grocery stores, for example, hardware stores, pharmacies, banks and liquor stores have allallowed to be open and thesestores have implemented newpractises, limiting the numberof practises in their stores, for example, ensuring physicaldistancing for the safety ofemployees and their customers. , increased the disinfecting ofall surfaces and as a result, wehave not seen major outbreaksthat have started atsaskatchewan businesses. We have flattened the curve, even as these businesses haveremained open over the course ofthe last number of months. This gives us confidence thatsaskatchewan business can reopenfor customers and theiremployees by maintaining similarpractises across the sector. That said, we will carefullymonitor the case numbers eachand everyday and we will adjustor plan accordingly if required. So let me be clear, that many ofthe physical distancingrestrictions and rules are goingto remain in place. Restrictions designed to preventsome of the highest riskactivities. As we have said before, we knowthat travel was the source ofmany of the early cases ofcovid-19 in Saskatchewan and wecontinue to strongly discourageall nonessentialinterprovisional travel andanyone who returns tosaskatchewan from any othercountry, including the United States, must self-isolate fortwo weeks. We know that some of the largestoutbreaks in Saskatchewan werealso due to large socialgathering, like snowmobilerallies. The restricts on publicgatherings remains in place atthis time. Other than allowable businesses, public gatherings remain limitedto no more than ten people. and we know that the largestrisk and the deadliest outbreaks in our nation have occurred inour senior’s long-term carehomes. Io all current rules andrestrictions for long-term carefacilities will remain in placefor the foreseeable future andthis is to keep our familymembers in those facilitiessafe. By proceeding with caution, bymaintaining restrictions inthose most high-risk areas andactivities, and by continuingwith good physical distancingand cleanliness practises, ibelieve Saskatchewan can findthe right path. I believe we can carefully andcautiously begin to reopen ourprovince while still protectingsaskatchewan residents from thespread of COVID-19. So now at this point, Dr. Shahaband I would be happy to answermy questions.
We’ll take our first question from the floor.
Question:
Dr. Shahab, do you anticipate that when these restrictions are opening, start lifting next month, that we will see an increase in COVID-19cases and if so, what kind ofincrease can we expect to see?
I will begin by saying that what we have learned over the last six weeks, we’ve learned you can go shopping safely, as long everyone follows therecommendations. So that means that business owners have to set up the business so that physical distancing is maintained and people who go shopping should only go shopping if they’rewell. So based on that, we would like to see no increase when people are engaging in other activities as it related to commercialactivity. We have learned that when people go to work in essentialworkplaces, for the most part, we have not seen anytransmission. But as long people are observing the recommendations, including physical distancing, handhygiene, not sharing food, even if there’s a case, you may get limited secondary transmission but that is controlled quickly. So it think it will be essential that if we see transmission of those settings, we are able to control that quickly so that it means that as soon as someone is symptomatic they’ll call the health lane for testing. So from that perspective, we will continue to investigate each case in detail. We have learned that you can safely care for people withcovid-19 and prevent further transmission with healthcare workers or other patients and those lessons have to be applied in healthcare settings outside of hospitals so a lot of the medical services, which are in phase one, and have to be applied in other services that will be allowed in phase two, where through proper use of personal protective equipment and other measures, you can safely provide services which are less than two metres where physical distancing is notmaintained. But again, if transmission was to happen, we would investigate in detail, understand what was there that would have been improved and provide that feedback to the providers and to the public. So we will see ongoingtransmission. We hope that will remain as lo was possible. We want to see the curve remain flat during the reopening phase and we want to learn from that and provide continuous feedback.
I understand the need for people to get their teeth cleaned and their hair to getcut, but these like relativelyhigh-risk activities because youcan can’t maintain physicaldistancing performing thoseservices. So why those in the early phasesof this plan and not later?
The entire plan, including the phase one, personalservices, has been worked on in consultation not only withdr. Shah ab and the health association and in phase one, the number of services are personal health services, if youwill. These are also services that, TA large degree, practicing with personal protective equipment and providing their service is with the proper standards in place with respect to cleanliness and this infection is not foreign to theseservices, for example at adentist’s office or many of the services that are being provide. So this is an extension, really, of some of the healthcare services that are already being provided across the province and some of these services have been provided even throughout the last number of weeks on emergency bases, if you will. and so this is what we felt collectively is a good place to start reopen some of the services that the saskatchewanpeople require and then a second wave of those personal service swill be coming in phase two. I think it’s also important for us to understand that between these phases, and we have put dates on phase one and phasetwo, but not on phase three, four and five, and those date swill be determined by the results that we see, as we step into this area of reopening businesses and services in theprovince.
Operator:
We have the leaderpost.
Question:
Good morning. Given that you don’t have a date for phase five, which is the bigcrowds, isn’t that, in essence, saying that we cannot plan for wider games of CF season, country thunder jamboree and it seem to be that anyone of this will be permissible by realistic time anything willstart?
Without having dates on phases three, four and five, think what that speaks to are those dates would be determined as per the results that we see with the implementation of phase one and two. If we start to see a small increase in active cases here in the province, which I don’tthink would be unexpected, but manageable increase here in theprovince, we would have a look at the next phase. I don’t think we’ll have a look at the next phase over the course of the month. This needs to be about keepingsaskatchewan residents safe but focused with finding that rightpath, finding the path of how we can open up some sectors of the economy that have not been allowed to be opened up over the course of the last number of weeks and allow people to get back to work and so the results during phase one and two will determine the the dates for future phases. I don’t think it’s time yes for us to make comment on large public gatherings. We just don’t have the information at this point.
Operator:
is there afollowup?
Question:
Given this phase two starts on may 19th and given only a considerable period one would think to calculate theresults, we’re looking at probably June or July that we’reinto phase three, so phase four and phase five doesn’t seem like something that will happen thissummer.
That would be a conversation that we will continue to have with all of those that are interested in having thatconversation, whether it be thecfl or other sporting leagues, whether it be minor ball, minor sporting leagues where our youth are participating in sports right across this province. I know in the community I live, there’s youth dance, there’syouth ball, there’s softball and kids that want to play lacrosse. That’s just at the minor level, never mind the public gatherings that we would have with professional sports and other events like, for example, country thunder, that we know many people attend, but it’s too early for us to make any determinations with respect whether or not those types of gatherings with that number of people would be allowed to carryon. If you have anything to add from your perspective, Dr. Shahab, but I think it’s fair to say this isn’t a conversation we’vebeen focused on exclusively as of yet, as we’re trying to ensure that we have the tools in place in the way of testingcapability, contact tracing and mobility to isolate flare-upstoday.
So what I would like to add, like the premier said, it’spossible that we are able to reopen in an organized way. and the reason we can do that, again, as the premier said last evening is because we’ve all been practicing physical distancing and other measures to keep the curve flat. As we go forward, it’s not back to business as usual, but back to business in the new normal and we continue continue Toto learn fromthat. We know where there’s shouting, singing, laughing, crying and hugging or other close contact, we already know transmission happens very quickly. We have a reproductive rate of less than one, which means that each case translates to less than one person and that is essential to keep the curveflat. We know in gatherings insaskatchewan, we’ve had situations where one person, an infectious rate and in largegatherings, those are not beingallowed, but we need to continue to learn from what we see and see what would be the possibilities in the future to maybe allow some events. But at this point, we need to understand how we can safely allow some businesses, some recreational activities where the risk is already low and learn from that and move forward in a way systematically.
Operator:
We have bonnieallen.
Question:
You’ve noticed the aggressive testing is key to this strategy, but we’ve seen the demands for testingdecrease, despite your capacity. So when will you start doingdefencive testing and start doing offensive testing, not just in response to people andsymptoms?
I think Dr. Shah ab would be best to answer that question. When we have access to testing capability that may be able to test antibodies, for example, we may look at a little bit of different testing parameters anddr. Shah ab may speak more in depth to that. But at this time, we have one of the most accessible tests, if you will, for residents incanada, right here insaskatchewan. and we do have the capacity Togo beyond the testing numbers that we have today and we are fully prepared, if needed, to provide those tests, ifrequired, Dr. Shahab.
Thank you. Just a bit of details on the testing capaci capacity as it sstoday. We have access to 1, 000 tests aday, targeted 1500 and testing has gone down due to less cough sand colds, less people gettingfevers. and yes, we want to make sure that anyone with any symptoms, even during flu season now does consider testing if their symptoms are unusual. Call the health line and that’sone way of maintaining and enhancing testing once the cough and cold season and flu seasonends. We are very reassured thatoverall, our testing number shave been 23, 000 plus, testing positive rate at 3% wearily low, fairly low. If it would have beeewould have been doing more. We have looked at our numbers from last week, to 13th to18th OH April, we did amaximum of 4, 000 tests and nowas much as more than a thousandtests, but less than that. But even the test positive ratewas .4%, this is all essential as part ofa strategy.
Any followup.
Question:
You noted the recommendation that international travel not be done unless it’s essential but what consideration have you given to beefing that up, something wit ha bit more teeth, furtherrestrictions, highway patrols or anything that would clamp down on people going to and fromalberta, for example?
You want to start that andi’ll maybe end.
Individuals need to do a risk assessment of the need to travel and I think so far, the feedbackwe’ve been getting is that people have been doing that in Avery conscience matter. Not a lot of travel even within the province that’s far from your own home. So for the most part, people have been conscience. It’s just a matter of making that risk assessment and keeping travel as low as feasible. and even information from google and other third-partydemonstrates that for the mostparty people are staying at homeor close to home which needs tocontinue.
Operator:
The next question from the floor. Arthur.
Question:
There’s a few things I don’t see in that plan and that includes when school sand also universities open.
Rosemary:
We’ll pull away from the press conference. If you want to continuewatching, you can go to ourwebsite. Let me bring in My colleagues Togo over some of what we have heard in the past couple ofhours. I found that pretty fascinating, because it gives you a real picture into how things might start to relax in a very restricted way with two datesmentioned, may Th being the first phase and may 15th the second one. Vassy, I’ll let you start.
Vassy:
I was clinging to every word to see how they’llroll this out. So overall, it’s a multi–phasedapproach, but the only datesdedamaged so far are to thefirst phase kicking off onmay 4th and the second phaseon the 19th. sh parks, golf, and you won’t bedigging in the hole if you’relucky enough to get the ball inand something that elevates it, as well as medical services thatwere closed down in light ofcovid-19. Think of dentists andoptometrists and stores andbusinesses that were forced toclose, flower shops, hair salonsas well as massage therapy. Daycare, restaurants, that’s allin the later phases and as imention, no specific date onthat. Still, a number of restricts inrestrictions in place. If you partake in activitieswe’re allowing, stick to homeand gatherings limited to tenpeople, as well.
Rosemary:
I have about aminute, Catherine. I noticed one of the question scan I go to a rider’s game and the question was no. Deeply Canadian. I think the important thing to highlight is that the dynamics in Saskatchewan are particular. I think it’s 326 cases, four deaths over the course of this and the decisions they make are particular to what’s going on in that province, when decisions like this are made, it puts approach on them in their own province to go ahead with this, but people will be watching this as a test case to see how itgoes, not only how the measures work but how will people respond to this? will they be flooding the golfcourses.
Rosemary:
So just summing up what we heard there, not onlysaskatchewan’s plan to reopen, which everyone in the country will be watching very, very closely and other provinces will slowly start to follow, but also the federal government’sannouncement today, which is really another way start finding way to have those restrictionslifted, a billion dollars in funding for science research, vaccines, to get a better sense of how we can stop thispandemic, control it and stop it from spreading further. I’m rosemary Barton and thank you for watching here. Let me turn it over to my colleague who has coverage of another top story we’ve been tracking through the day. (please stand by).