COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Friday
New COVID-19 variant first detected in South African prompts ban on travellers from southern Africa
- Quebec reported 1,037 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and no new deaths.
- Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 444,585 confirmed cases and 11,571 people have died.
- There are 206 people in hospital (a decrease of four), including 43 in intensive care (a decrease of two).
- As of Friday, the province has administered 13,521,416 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- 84 per cent of the eligible population in the province (age five and up) has received one dose of vaccine, and 81 per cent has received two doses.
Note: Quebec's vaccination rate has been adjusted to include five- to 11-year-olds, causing the overall percentage to drop. Vaccinations for the group began on Wednesday.
Quebec's Health Ministry does not publish the number of vaccines administered on weekends and public holidays.
Canada is banning the entry of foreign nationals who have visited a group of seven southern African countries in the last 14 days in reaction to news of a new, potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced Friday that the federal government will impose five measures in an effort to limit the spread of the new B.1.1.529 variant, which the World Health Organization declared as a variant of concern and named omicron.
Canadians and foreign nationals who arrived in Canada in the last 14 days from the countries of concern — which include South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini — will have to quarantine, pending negative COVID-19 tests.
Those with a right of entry into Canada, like citizens or permanent residents, coming back from the region will have to do the same.
There are currently no direct flights from the affected countries to Canada, but Duclos says Canadians transiting through another country from the region, on their way back home, will need to test negative in the country of transit before heading home.
Ottawa is also issuing a travel advisory strongly discouraging Canadians from travelling to southern Africa.
Earlier this afternoon, opposition parties and provincial premiers, including François Legault, called for strict border measures to prevent cases of the variant from being imported into Canada.
A slew of nations have also moved to stop air travel from southern Africa.
Quebec cases highest since May
Quebec reported 1,037 new daily cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the first time that number has surpassed 1,000 since May, but hospitalizations have remained stable.
Legault says that is because of the province's strong vaccination coverage.
"We must remain prudent," he told reporters in Montreal. "Yes, we have [more than] 1,000 cases but we have 200 hospitalizations, which is four or five times less than many countries in Europe and the United States.
"Our hospitalizations, thanks to vaccination, remain relatively low, but it will be important to continue with the vaccination," he said, referring to children age five to 11.
Vaccinations for kids 5 to 11 in full swing
About a quarter of the children in Quebec age five- to 11-years-old have COVID-19 vaccination appointments booked, according to the province's Health Ministry.
The government said Friday that 172,600 appointments had been made thus far, with 15,603 first doses given to children aged between five and 11. Quebec is hoping to give one dose to each eligible child by Christmas.
"They are brave. I am proud of them, really," Premier François Legault tweeted on Thursday. "I also want to thank their parents and the vaccination teams."
As of next week, vaccines will be administered in schools as well, to children whose parents have signed consent forms.
WATCH | Quebec's vaccine program for children explained:
Under-5 vaccinations and herd immunity
For those under the age of five, Canada's chief public health officer Theresa Tam said vaccinations could potentially start as early as the new year.
Speaking to Radio-Canada, Tam said that clinical trials are currently underway for children aged six months to five years old. She said she hopes to see the results of the those trials by the end of the year.
As one of the last remaining portions of the population to get vaccinated, kids will play an important role in ending the pandemic, health experts say.
Earlier in the pandemic, the threshold for achieving herd immunity suggested by some was about 70 per cent. But more recently, health experts say that threshold should be higher because of the highly contagious delta variant.
"With the original COVID strain, if we were at 80 or 85 per cent, we would probably have very, very low transmission and not have to worry," said Dr. Tehseen Ladha, a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at University of Alberta in Edmonton.
"But the fact that we're here now with delta, which is so much more transmissible, means that we need a herd immunity of closer to 90 per cent, 95 per cent."
New guidance on cloth masks
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has updated its guidelines on masks.
"In general, while non-medical masks can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, medical masks and respirators provide better protection," the PHAC said on its COVID-19 mask information webpage.
The agency said in an email to CBC News that the change was "based on the latest scientific evidence on SARS-CoV-2 virus variants of concern, increased understanding of the impacts of vaccination and immunity in the population, and new data available on mask types and their effectiveness."
Experts say this shift in messaging reflects a growing body of evidence suggesting that COVID-19 is largely spread through aerosols (tiny particles that can hang in the air), and not just through respiratory droplets (larger particles) transmitted by close contact with an infected person.
Top COVID-19 stories
- Ottawa nixing molecular COVID test requirement for Canadians taking short trips abroad: sources
- Quebec backs down again on mandatory vaccination in health network
- Vaccines won't be mandatory for teachers, school staff as Quebec COVID-19 situation improves
- Doctor convinced vaccine hesitant patient attendant to get her shot with patience and respect
- Take a look inside: How a Montreal hospital deals with ongoing staffing shortages
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
- Fever.
- New or worsening cough.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Sudden loss of smell without a stuffy nose.
- Gastrointestinal issues (such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting).
- Sore throat
- Generalized muscle pain.
- Headache.
- Fatigue.
- Loss of appetite.
If you think you may have COVID-19, the government asks that you call 1‑877‑644‑4545 to schedule an appointment at a screening clinic.
To reserve an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, you can go on the online portal quebec.ca/covidvaccine. You can also call 1-877-644-4545.
You can find information on COVID-19 in the province here and information on the situation in Montreal here.
With files from The Canadian Press and Radio-Canada