Prime Minister Justin Trudeau along with the Ministers of health, finance, and public safety delivered an update on the Federal governments' efforts in combatting COVID-19.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced that more rapid tests are on their way to provinces. 

"Today, I am pleased to confirm that an additional 140 million rapid tests will be delivered to provinces and territories in the month of January, as requested by our provincial counterparts," he said. "Rapid tests are also proving an extremely important tool in helping Canadians reduce the spread of COVID 19."

Duclos said that before December 2021, the federal government delivered 85 million rapid tests to provinces and territories and last month an additional 35 million tests were delivered.

The Prime Minister said he understands that Canadians are exhausted from the pandemic, underlining that many parts of the country are in partial lockdowns and schools across Canada have moved to online learning. 

"We're closing in on two years of this pandemic and there have been moments of more intensity and moments of less [intensity]," Trudeau said. "I think everyone was hoping that we would be into a much better place right now. However, one thing has changed from those first early months: Canadians themselves. You know what we need to do you know how to keep your loved one safe. And more importantly, you know how to keep our health systems from getting overwhelmed."

He continued to urge those who haven't been vaccinated to get their shot, stating that Canada now has enough vaccines for everyone to also have their booster shot administered. 

"If you're arriving at the moment, where you are choosing to get your first vaccine, thank you. It's never too late to do the right thing,"  Trudeau said.  "I can assure you that the health care workers who will be there to give you your first shot will be very pleased to provide you with that vaccine even in the coming weeks ahead."

Canada's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke of the fact that the federal government used the fall to prepare economically for a difficult winter. Freeland said that workers who are in parts of the country that is in a lockdown or  Sr subject to 50 per cent capacity restrictions, and if workers have lost 50 per cent or more of their income as a direct result of restriction, they may be eligible to receive a $300 a week, which can be applied for online through the Canada Revenue Agency."

Freeland underlined the government also temporarily lowered the revenue declined threshold from 40% to 25%. 

"In December before the holidays, we released an Economic and Fiscal Update that included significant investments, including the purchase of 180 million rapid tests and a $2 billion investment in therapeutics," Freeland said. "We also decided to temporarily extend the definition of lockdown to help more Canadians and to make sure no business or employee is left behind. We are there to help provinces and territories take the very difficult decisions."

Prime Minister Trudeau said that while the pandemic fatigue is wearing on everyone, there is no magic bullet.

"We know what to do to get through it and I know Canadians will continue to do it even though we're tired even though we're frustrated," he said. "We can get through this together on vaccines and boosters. We now have enough vaccines in the country for everyone. I got my booster yesterday. It's about all of us doing our part to make sure that through this Omicron wave."

Currently, 74.49 per cent of the eligible population of Canada is vaccinated, while 81.79 per cent of all eligible Canadians have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. Over 30,000 Canadians have died of COVID-19.

Information provided by Discover Airdrie