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September 28, 2021 – Provincial and federal government updates on the COVID-19 pandemic
Here is an update on recent decisions and actions by the Québec and Canadian governments in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
A third dose of vaccine for the elderly in residential care
Christian Dubé, Minister of Health and Social Services, Horacio Arruda, National Director of Public Health, and Daniel Paré, director of Québec’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign, announced that a third dose of the vaccine will be administered to elderly people in residential care.
This decision was prompted by the increase in active cases in long-term-care centres (CHSLDs), private residences for seniors (RPAs) and intermediate and family-type resources (IR-FTRs). In fact, active cases rose to 140 from 10 in the space of a month.
The interval between the second and third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine should be six months. Older people in the affected communities will start receiving the third dose in late October.
Vaccination teams will travel to these residential settings to vaccinate the people concerned.
The government is not considering a third dose for other age groups for the time being.
Federal government priorities
Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, shared his priorities for the coming weeks with regard to COVID-19:
- Mandatory vaccination for Canadian public service employees;
- People aged 12 and over will have to be doubly vaccinated to board a plane or train in Canada;
- The implementation of a vaccination certification system for international travel;
- Reimbursement of the provinces’ expenses for their vaccine passports;
- Preparation of legislation to protect healthcare workers from intimidation or harassment.