The spectacular and unparalleled rise of the Omicron variant and its possible devastating effect on our very fragile hospital capacity prompted Prime Minister François Legault to do what he had no choice but to do: invite Quebecers to draw a little little more in their reserves of resilience and collective sense, and this, during the holiday season. Faced with a hypercontagious variant and given the weakened resources of the health network, the authorities must tighten the measures, or otherwise, they will soon have to select priority patients in the hospital. Everyone wants to avoid this disaster scenario.
We imagined the worst. However, François Legault offers a “slimming” version of additional measures. The imposition of the curfew is avoided – fiou! – and the 24th and 25th of December are relatively preserved with festivals in groups of ten, for those who cannot avoid it. As of December 26, however, elk will have to be curbed, with private gatherings of up to six people or two bubbles. To protect the 60 and over age group, the age group of 70% of patients hospitalized at the moment, Quebec asks citizens to “stick together”, to “make another effort” to get through this “great ordeal” which is taking place. ‘announcement.
Nobody envies the decision-makers: for nearly two years, they have been dealing with the unprecedented nature of a pandemic, being the bearers of bad news in addition to donning the cumbersome costume of motivators of a disillusioned crowd. The haunting theme of “we need you” is worn out. As this second Christmas without excesses approaches, our collective “baboon” is more and more visible. We have had enough of having enough.
But there is nothing we can do about the numbers. Since the start of the pandemic, they have set the pace. The latest data is staggering on one point in particular: Omicron could achieve a feat that previous strains have not quite succeeded in piercing the ability to cope with the virus in our hospitals and human resources, which work without released. The percentage of hospitalized patients out of all the positive cases detected is however very low – only 1.3% -, but since the cases are more numerous – 9000 cases detected during the day yesterday, enough to make you dizzy -, the mathematics is easy: the number of beds intended for hospitalizations and intensive care could be insufficient. It all comes down to this. That Omicron is less “serious”, as one suspects it without being certain of it, will not change anything with the fact that the very sick will flock if they are more numerous at the source.
The famous data released Wednesday by the INSPQ and INESSS predict different models from two hypothetical variables: vaccine escape (decrease in vaccine efficacy) and virus severity (the probability of developing severe symptoms) . The worst of the tables foresees an overrun in January of the capacity of hospitals, where, let us remember, human resources are lacking. This precariousness haunts us in “normal” times. We should not be surprised that it turns us into real tightrope walkers in times of pandemic.
The positivity rate has now exceeded 10%, which is of concern. It is confirmed that Omicron is now the cause of nearly 90% of cases in Quebec while barely a week ago, we were talking about 20%. This strain gives the impression that it literally jumps on its victims if they are not equipped with the essentials: two doses of vaccine, wearing a mask, a physical distance of at least two meters, hands washed frequently . The unvaccinated, whom the Prime Minister urges to stay at home, are 14 times more likely than their vaccinated counterparts to land in a hospital bed.
Quebecers are once again invited to put forward their individual sense of responsibility, for the collective good. This fragile balance, which requires putting aside any form of selfishness in order to focus on others, is painful to achieve when, unceasingly for two years, citizens have been asked to show patience, resilience, understanding, self-sacrifice. . The reserves of all of this are weakened in each of us. But our collective reserves are in a very poor state when we understand, according to the projections of the experts, that we are so close to the breaking point.
Resigned, we will therefore fall into line again. In return, we will hope that our leaders will act diligently to accelerate access to rapid tests, because the autonomy of citizens will be essential for the screening operation, with such dizzying figures, and also to ensure a rapid administration operation. of the third dose. This is a key key to facing Omicron.