Provincial health officials have provided a COVID-19 modelling update.
Doctor Adalsteinn Brown says that if we put the work in now, the pandemic will most likely recede in the summer.
Before that happens, he says there is still a period of risk.
Brown says the next few weeks are vital to the understanding of the impacts of recent variants.
"We can keep the gains we have made by watching spread very closely and by loosening public health measures only carefully. We must be nimble in applying public health measures to extinguish flare ups quickly."
He predicts that variants will be responsible for up to 40 percent of cases by the second week of March.
Officials say declines in hospitalizations and number of cases are slowing down, and the spread of variants could result in a rise in hospitalizations.
Lighthouse Festival Preparing for 2027
Province Invests More in Niagara Health
Flooding Relief on List for AMO
Over $40,000 Raised for Day of Giving
Police Concerned After Man Released
Body Found During Home Demolition
2 Men Wanted After Lincoln Break In
Boy Severely Hurt in Lundy's Collision