Tightening of health measures that could include the return of a curfew and containment are under consideration in anticipation of an announcement by Prime Minister François Legault, a government source told Duty.
Mr. Legault said on social media on Tuesday that he will announce his decision on Wednesday at a press conference in Montreal.
As of Monday, scenarios were submitted to the members of the Coalition Avenir Québec during a caucus which preceded the announcement of tightening by the Minister of Health Christian Dubé.
These discussions also preceded the unveiling to the Prime Minister of new projections of the effects of the appearance of the Omicron variant on the health network.
During this meeting on Monday, MEPs discussed the possibility of imposing new restrictions from Sunday, December 26.
These measures included the return of a curfew and the possibility of lockdown.
According to information obtained by The duty, no decision had yet been taken by the government on Tuesday evening.
The main difficulty is that the severity of Omicron’s symptoms, and its effect on the number of hospitalizations, continues to be extremely difficult to establish.
The transposition in Quebec of the evolution of the variant from data from other countries is a complex operation, we were told.
One thing is certain, the imposition of a curfew is seen as a more effective means than the return of total confinement, which in addition to restoring the notion of a family bubble, would mean the closure of non-essential businesses.
Data on the risks of contamination indicate in particular that the risks of contamination are higher in indoor gatherings, such as in private residences, than in businesses.
The capacity of shops and restaurants has already been reduced by half last week during an announcement by Mr. Legault.
Monday, Mr. Dubé then gave a new turn of the screw to sanitary measures by announcing the closure of schools before the scheduled date. Bars have also been closed and mandatory teleworking has been reinstated.
Several factors are taken into account in evaluating the measures that could be imposed from Sunday, December 26, including their effects on mental health and the rate of acceptance they would generate.