The Prime Minister once again addressed the nation this morning, facing a number of questions from reporters.
Justin Trudeau began today's news conference by highlighting the financial aid announced yesterday, saying the government is pulling out 'all the stops.'
He took a moment to thank scientists and researchers who are working on furthering our understanding of the virus.
Trudeau says the government will be expediting access to COVID-19 lab test kits and other medical devices. "The reality is that the need for these test kits is growing. Yesterday Dr. Tam said that officials have now tested more than 50,000 Canadians since the beginning of the outbreak. 25,000 of those were done just in the last week alone."
He said he would soon have more to say about how other industries may be able to help the fight against COVID-19.
Before wrapping up the prepared portion of today's address Trudeau pledged, "There is nothing we won't do to keep you safe and protect your health."
When asked about how long Canadians will be asked to maintain social distancing he said government officials will be following the recommendations of health experts. "We've heard anything from weeks to months. We know this is a difficult and extraordinary time."
Trudeau also spoke about yesterday's announcement that the Canada-US border would close to non-essential travel. He said there is still some 'fine tuning' to be done on the agreement, but he anticipated measures would be brought in between Friday and Saturday.
A text message has also been sent out to Canadians outside the country with information on how to get in touch with consular services and return home.