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April 13, 2022 – Update by the provincial government regarding the COVID-19 pandemic

Here is a status report on the recent decisions and actions of the provincial government in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall concerning situation

Dr. Luc Boileau, Acting National Director of Public Health, Daniel Paré, Associate Deputy Minister of the Pandemic Executive and Operational Branch, and Dr. Jean Longtin, Microbiologist and Clinical Expert in support of the scientific management of the pandemic at the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, provide an update on the COVID-19 situation in Quebec.

Load shedding in hospitals

Faced with an increase in hospitalizations, Dr. Luc Boileau confirms that load shedding (decrease of regular activities to liberate and redeploy staff) is currently underway in Quebec’s health care and social services. Nevertheless, the level of surgical activity remains at 70% on average.

In Quebec hospitals, more than 2,000 beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients, while that number was just under 1,600 on April 8.

In addition, 12,700 employees of the health system are absent from the network because of COVID-19.

The situation remains fragile and will be for a few more weeks.

Adapting behaviour

A person with COVID-19 can be contagious for ten days.

The instruction remains to isolate for five days at home and maintain safe behaviours, such as wearing a mask and reducing contact, for the following five days.

On the eve of the Easter holiday, Dr. Luc Boileau invites people to exercise caution and manage their risk. He also emphasizes the importance of getting a booster shot.

An information sheet (in French) is available to guide people in the habits to adopt in the event of symptoms.

Vaccination

The 4th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is now available to different groups:

  • People in living environments, starting with CHSLDs;
  • People age 80 and older who live at home and immunocompromised people;
  • People age 70 and older;
  • People age 60 and older.

In addition, thousands of doses of the Novavax vaccine are now available to Quebecers.

This vaccine is available to people age 18 and older who have a contraindication to messenger RNA vaccines, such the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Note that this vaccine can be administered as a first or second dose. However, it will only be available in walk-in clinics during specific time slots.