Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam is leaving her position at the end of next week.
Tam has been in the role since June 2017, but became a household name in the last five years as she led the country’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tam says her term ends on June 20, and she doesn’t have another job lined up.
She is taking a break to think about new opportunities, spend more time with family and get back to some of her passions, including playing music and long-distance running.
A pediatric infectious disease physician by training, Tam joined the federal government’s public health team around the time measles was eliminated in 1998.
She says it’s concerning to see the virus return but is confident Canada can stop domestic transmission once again through immunization.
Tam says it’s a critical time for Canada to stand up for science and combat disinformation.
She says the COVID-19 pandemic showed that Canada could mount a response that differed from the U.S. approach, and save lives in the process.