COVID-19 Live Updates: Dubé Defends Decision to Relax Rules as Cases Rise in Quebec

Article content

Updated throughout the day on Monday, November 15. Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Article content

Major updates

9:45 am

Dubé defends decision to relax rules as Quebec cases increase

Quebec relaxed some rules today even as COVID-19 cases are on the rise.

Among the changes: High school students no longer have to wear masks in classrooms and the ban on dancing and karaoke in bars has been lifted.

Article content

Quebec’s seven-day moving average of new cases is now 639, the highest level since late September.

Some experts say the province may be moving too fast, pointing to rising cases and rising infection rates in parts of Europe.

At a press conference in Rimouski this morning, Health Minister Christian Dubé was asked if Quebec is taking too great a risk, particularly with regard to masks in secondary schools.

“I don’t think we’re going too fast but we have to be careful,” Dubé replied.

He said the province has gradually reopened this fall, with some restrictions falling on November 1 and more removed starting today.

“But I insist that people must follow public health measures if we want to get through this winter,” the minister added, noting that the risk increases as people spend more time at home with other people.

Article content

Dubé cited two factors for the recent increase in cases in the province.

For one thing, children under the age of 12 cannot get vaccinated.

In addition, cases are increasing faster in regions where the vaccination rate is lower, such as Nunavik (northern Quebec), the eastern municipalities and Chaudière-Appalaches, Dubé said.

He noted that Health Canada is expected to soon approve a vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11.

And Dubé said he is encouraged by the fact that some 2,500 Quebecers a day are coming to receive their first dose of vaccine. “That is not insignificant,” he said.

Another reporter asked Dubé if allowing karaoke to resume could put Christmas gatherings at risk.

“At the moment, we don’t believe it,” he replied.

Dubé said the province has sought ways to reduce measures that improve mental health even as it introduced measures such as vaccine passports to reduce risks in group settings.

“Today, with a month to go before Christmas, we allow people to dance and sing; yes, there is a risk, but we are doing it for mental health, to give people the right to have fun, “he said.

Dubé said that if people follow the current restrictions, “we will all have a nice Christmas.”

Article content

9:20 am

History Through Our Eyes: November 15, 2009, Mass Vaccination

In October 2009, during the second wave of the H1N1 pandemic, a vaccine was approved, followed by what was then the largest vaccination campaign in Canadian history.

This November 15, 2009 photo by Marie-France Coallier shows nurse Faiza Alaoui administering the vaccine to a woman as her family watches.

Read our full story.

9:20 am

Why it can be difficult to prove that a vaccine caused a poor result

In many cases, it can be “devilishly challenging,” as Nature reported earlier this year, to show that a rare but serious or fatal “event” that occurred in the days or weeks after vaccination was actually caused by a vaccine itself. . Here are some reasons why.

Read our full story.

Article content

9:20 am

Give Quebec’s Low-Income Seniors $ 700, PQ Urges Legault

The Parti Québécois proposes a one-time refundable $ 700 tax credit to help people 65 and older who earn less than $ 35,000 per year before taxes “get through these tough times.”

Read our full story.

9:15 am

A Guide to Quebec’s COVID-19 Vaccine Passport

The Quebec vaccination passport is mandatory for people over the age of 13 who want to access services and activities that the provincial government considers non-essential, including bars, restaurants, gyms, festivals and sporting events.

Quebecers can use a smartphone app to check their vaccination status or simply carry their QR code on paper.

The application is available on the Apple App Store and on Google Play. .

Article content

We’ve published two guides to passports: one looks at how to download and configure the app, and another answers key questions about the system, including how, when, and why.

You can find more information on the Quebec government website: one page has details on how the system works, and another has a list of places where a vaccine passport will be required .

9:15 am

A Guide to COVID-19 Vaccines in Quebec

Local health authorities have established mass vaccination sites throughout Montreal.

You can book appointments through the Clic Santé website or by phone at 1-877-644-4545.

Quebecers can also visit AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer Vaccine Clinics Walk-In .

Here are the practical details on getting vaccinated, by Katherine Wilton. Your guide includes the age groups you are targeting, how to book appointments, and directions to vaccination centers.

Article content

9:15 am

Here are the current pandemic restrictions in Montreal and Quebec

We regularly update our list of open, closed or changed services in Montreal and Quebec, including information on curfew and other lockdown measures.

You can read it here.

9:15 am

This is where Montréal can get tested today

Montrealers can be screened in test centers all over the island.

For other parts of Quebec, see this page on the Quebec government site .

08:30 am

Sign up for our free nightly coronavirus newsletter

Stay informed with our daily email newsletter focused on local coronavirus coverage and other essential news, delivered directly to your email inbox before 7pm on weekdays.

You can sign up here .

[email protected]

Read my previous live blogs here.