A first case of the new Omicron variant has been detected in Quebec, confirmed the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, who urges Quebecers aged 70 and over to get their third dose as the holidays approach.
• Read also: Vaccination for 5 to 11 year olds is going well
• Read also: 756 new cases and two additional deaths in Quebec
Currently, at least 115 travelers returning to Quebec from South African countries affected by the new variant have been contacted to perform a new screening test and place themselves in isolation.
Earlier Monday morning, Ontario announced that two Ottawa residents infected with the new variant had passed through Montreal on their way back from travel.
“The federal government very quickly tightened measures for travelers,” greeted Minister Dubé during a press briefing in Montreal alongside the national director of public health, Horacio Arruda.
“No matter where you travel, you have to be careful,” Dubé insisted, noting that the requirements determined by the federal government when returning travelers could change rapidly. In particular, the list of targeted countries could be extended.
- Listen to the interview with André Veillette, Researcher in immunology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Montreal
All the more reason to get vaccinated
Among children, already 32% of 5 to 11 year olds have received or will soon receive a first dose of vaccine, “good news”, rejoiced Mr. Dubé. That is just over 200,000 children, a number that is expected to rise rapidly thanks to school vaccination, which began on Monday.
For those who still hesitate, the arrival of the new variant becomes one more reason to protect themselves adequately, considers the Minister. The majority of new cases of COVID-19 are detected among unvaccinated people, which includes children aged 5 to 11.
3e dose
Mr. Dubé reported that just over a third of 70-year-olds have yet to get their third dose of the COVID vaccine, despite being eligible six months after the second.
“It’s moving very slowly. […] Go get your 3e dose, ”he insisted. It is especially for the most vulnerable, such as those living in residences. “This is where we would not want it to start again, the appearance of outbreaks,” he said.
The government is also awaiting a new opinion from the Quebec Immunization Committee on the vaccination of healthcare workers, who may soon have access to a third dose.
Vigilance
With the holiday season fast approaching, it will take at least two weeks before experts can adequately measure the penetration rate of the new variant.
The measures that will be in effect at Christmas will not be specified until December 6, D said.r Arruda.
Vigilance remains essential, even for people who have been adequately vaccinated.
“We absolutely have to respect the sanitary measures,” said Mr. Dubé.
“Gatherings in homes are still limited to 10 people,” the minister recalled. It is therefore not allowed to rent a chalet to have an “office party”, he stressed.
Quebec has also asked the federal government to provide it with 10 million rapid tests, which could be used, for example, in childcare centers, with children who do not have access to the vaccine.
– With the collaboration of Olivier Faucher, Le Journal de Montréal