Federal officials warning Canadians recovered from COVID-19 against thinking they may be immune to the respiratory illness

Federal officials are warning Canadians who have recovered from COVID-19 against thinking they may be immune to the respiratory illness.

While there has been talk in some countries of doling out ``immunity passports'' to those who have had the illness, Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the science around immunity is still unknown.

Tam says it's expected that those who have had the illness have some type of immunity, but exactly how strong it is and how long it lasts still needs to be determined.

Tam says public-health officials across the country are working to better understand the science because understanding when people become immune to COVID-19 will be critical as different jurisdictions look to start easing restrictions.