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Dec 17, 2021 8:17 PM - The Canadian Press

All confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Canada are mild or asymptomatic: Dr. Theresa Tam

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Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam speaks during a technical briefing on the COVID pandemic in Canada, Friday, January 15, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canada's chief public health officer says all confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Canada are mild or asymptomatic.

But Dr. Theresa Tam says most of the 300 plus Canadians who have contracted the variant are younger, and even a milder version of COVID-19 version could wreak havoc at a societal level.

Tam says both vaccinated and unvaccinated people have tested positive for the Omicron variant.

But she stresses that being fully vaccinated and then getting a booster is expected to provide reasonable protection against infection and likely strong protection against severe illness.

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