The virus that causes COVID-19, like all viruses, is constantly changing. When there have been several significant mutations to the virus then it's called a variant.
Globally, there are various COVID-19 variants that exist and some may become a concern to public health. A variant is of concern when it affects:
disease spread
disease severity
tests used to detect the virus
vaccines and treatment effectiveness
Most notably the following have been detected in Canada and are considered variants of concern:
B.1.1.7: first identified in the United Kingdom and known as the Alpha variant
B.1.351: first identified in South Africa and known as the Beta variant
P.1: first identified in Brazil and known as the Gamma variant
B.1.617: first identified in India and known as the Delta variant
They were initially imported via travel from outside the country. However, we are now seeing an increase in community spread of these variants of concern
The Government of Canada continues to work with the provinces, territories and Indigenous partners to track and respond to these variants of concern
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) continues to:
review new research and information about the COVID-19 variants as they become available
provide updates at various leadership and collaborative tables with partners
Contact tracing and testing
The COVID-19 point of care tests cannot detect if a case of COVID-19 is caused by the original COVID-19 strain or the variants of concern. In order to test for variants, positive samples undergo sophisticated testing in provincial and national laboratories
If an individual's sample is suspected or confirmed as a variant of concern, local public health authorities will contact that person about the next steps to be taken
The absolute risk of death associated with the variants of concern remains relatively low. However, as the variants spread more easily than the original COVID-19 strain, ISC strongly encourages actions are taken to ensure all possible close contacts of infected persons are identified. This will ensure timely detection of new cases and reduce the risk of spread
Local public health, First Nations community nursing stations and health centres will continue to work together to follow provincial or territorial guidelines for:
contact tracing
testing
isolation
other public health measures
Interim public health measures
This interim public health guidance is intended to protect individuals living in the same residence with someone, who meet any of the criteria below:
have returned from outside of Canada in the past 14 days
have been in close contact (with or without PPE) with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 14 days
This is an important step to stop the variants of concern from spreading to other people in the household as well as the community. Individuals should follow their provincial or territorial advice on alternative isolation accommodations and isolation protocols
Additional studies are needed to determine the optimal length of isolation for close contacts and those that have been vaccinated. This will be influenced by the circumstances of the exposure. Individuals should follow their provincial or territorial health authority's guidance for isolation or quarantine after COVID-19 exposure, including exposure to variants of concern
Until a large number of people are fully vaccinated, it is important to continue to follow public health measures including:
washing your hands often
staying home when you're sick
maintaining physical distancing
wearing a face mask, even if you've been vaccinated
If you don't have access to medical masks, here are the public health guidelines and additional information on the use of non-medical masks: