Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada’s future hangs in the balance if people don’t reduce their contacts to rein in the spread of COVID-19.

Trudeau addressed reporters outside his home at Rideau Cottage – the site of his daily briefings during the first wave of the pandemic last spring – following the release of grim new forecasts suggesting that Canada is on track to see COVID-19 cases climb by 60,000 per day if socialization increases.

He says Canadians must do everything in their power to reverse this trajectory by staying home and reducing their contacts with others.

The prime minister acknowledged the growing fatigue Canadians face as the pandemic drags on, but says actions now could determine the country’s fate for generations to come.

He also recognized the financial toll closures could take, and says his government his committed to helping businesses weather the storm.

But Trudeau says that lockdown measures are a better way to ensure long-term economic success than letting the spread of the virus continue unchecked.

(Canadian Press)