t not long ago, as COVID-19 transitioned from pandemic to endemic (at least that’s what public health authorities and experts expected), we were told that had to learn to live with the virus. Today, we are told that we will have to live not with one virus, but with several. Decidedly, the population will not soon escape these viral invasions.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, reappeared alongside the national director of public health, Dr.r Luc Boileau, to recommend that citizens wear a mask in “busy” public places. This is a recommendation — not an obligation — and it does not apply to schools and daycares.
The return of the mask indoors is justified by the simultaneous presence of three viruses that tax the health network. In addition to the variants of the coronavirus, there is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which particularly threatens the health of infants and young children, as well as the classic influenza.
Pediatric emergencies are overwhelmed and some medicines for children are scarce. An abnormally high number of preschool children end up in intensive care, affected by serious respiratory problems caused by RSV, a virus that is nevertheless common.
According to the minister, the hospitalizations linked to each of the three viruses add up, which overloads the hospitals. However, the flu season has only just begun and the situation is likely to get worse. The Dr Boileau expects a “spicy cocktail” over the next few weeks, if not months.
The pandemic has highlighted the lack of capacity of the Quebec health system compared to that of certain provinces such as Ontario and Alberta. But at present, these two provinces are also experiencing serious difficulties. Ontario’s health network is no longer up to the task, as the influenza season is more advanced there. We lose nothing by waiting.
On Monday, public health authorities in Ontario announced that they strongly recommend wearing masks in indoor public places. The day before, the College of Physicians of Quebec had made such a recommendation. Christian Dubé warned the population that “winter will be extremely difficult”.
The Dr Boileau affirmed that the “health context” did not command the wearing of the compulsory mask as in the worst moments of the pandemic. Neither does the social context, one might add. Even if you should never say never, the health context will have to deteriorate considerably before the individual accepts the same constraints he suffered when COVID-19 was wreaking havoc. He might have the dark impression that such an obligation stems only from the notorious undercapacity of our health network.
The Legault government has learned certain things since March 2020. From the outset, Public Health emphasizes the widest possible vaccination of the most vulnerable people. People aged 60 and over have access to free influenza vaccination, as do children aged 6 to 23 months. However, very few young children are vaccinated against the flu, although they may be subject to complications. And unfortunately, there is no approved vaccine against RSV.
Under the circumstances, it would be appropriate to extend free influenza vaccine to all preschool children. The minister did not exclude it; Public Health must therefore complete its reflection.
If Christian Dubé has created a crisis unit, there is a crisis. This group develops and implements methods to increase network capacity. All this is technical and jargon: it is a question of NSA (level of alternative care) and hospital fluidity. We will see in use.
Note that the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, described as “good news” the fact that the Legault government does not impose the wearing of a mask. We must remain “vigilant, but also respectful” towards those who “freely choose to wear it”, he wrote. It’s good that he warns his flock not to harass people who make it their civic duty to agree to use this proven means of reducing the spread of viruses. If the Conservative leader pushed his sense of responsibility a little further, he could himself recommend to his supporters to freely make this simple gesture for the good of all.