As most of the health measures are lifted, several European countries are once again facing a daily increase in COVID-19 cases, raising fears of a new wave arriving on this side. of the Atlantic.
“The current situation in Quebec is compatible with a slight rise in cases,” says Dr. Lamarre, specialist in immunology at the National Institute for Scientific Research. The relaxation of several measures, the spring break which recently ended and the presence of the BA.2 variant form “fertile ground” for a rise in cases.
This is also what the latest prognoses from researchers working for the INSPQ predict. A small ascent is to be expected in the next few days before a descent.
“I think we can expect a recovery [des cas] and you can tolerate it too, as long as it doesn’t result in a lot of severe infections. This is what we will have to watch, ”warns Dr. Lamarre.
A few factors could, however, be to Quebec’s advantage in minimizing the consequences of a rise in cases. “We have a high vaccination coverage and we started vaccination of the booster dose later than European countries. We therefore have an immunity that remains, at least in young adults, ”notes for his part the virologist Benoit Barbeau.
With the imminent arrival of spring, Mother Nature should also be unfavorable to the virus. “If we want to be less affected than some European countries, we can give ourselves an advantage and focus more on outdoor activities than indoors,” suggests Mr. Barbeau.
This text is taken from our newsletter “Coronavirus Mail” of March 14, 2022. To subscribe, click here.
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