Stay updated with breaking news from Dan Gregson. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
For each new variant of concern that arises, with it might come questions about how exactly researchers know what to look for, and whether or not current tests are able to identify it. Experts explained to CTVNews.ca exactly how new variants such as Omicron are detected.
With Omicron's highly contagious nature, PCR testing has been maxed out in some provinces as people rush to get tested. And with some regions expected to soon limit who can get tested, experts say that will lead to an undercount in case counts.
Some doctors say the focus should be on hospitalization rates right now
As Alberta's omicron case count ticks up, scientists at the province's public health lab are working to identify cases and preparing for the possibility the new variant could take hold in the province.
An infectious disease expert in Alberta says "COVID will be here, probably, for the next 100 to 200 years."