Canadian Medical Association says changing COVID-19 rules causing confusion

The Canadian Medical Association says continually changing rules have contributed to confusion and relaxed adherence across the country.

The national advocacy group representing Canada’s doctors said constant changes to restrictions have left people frustrated and are detrimental to its purpose.

“It’s time to apply what we know and address these new variants with the same aggressiveness they are displaying,” Dr. Ann Collins, the group’s president, said in a new release Thursday.

“Facing the new variants requires a new and coordinated approach to regain control.”

These comments come as new month-long stay-at-home restrictions came into effect in Ontario.

The province declared its third state of emergency since the start of the pandemic to deal with the spread of variants of concern.

Dr. Howard Njoo, the national deputy chief public health officer, said Canada is in a tight race between getting out vaccines and the spread of variants of concern.

But he added that vaccinations are just one part of response.

Public health measures, such as restrictions, are important, he said, especially in areas where variants are spreading.

More than seven million vaccine doses have now been administered across the country.

The amount of vaccines arriving in the country is expected to significantly increase in the coming months.