Even if we are tired …

“I need you guys. ”

This is the most important sentence to remember from Prime Minister François Legault’s press conference, broadcast at prime time so that his message could be heard loud and clear.

No doubt: the support of citizens will be the sinews of the war against Omicron, which is spreading exponentially. But after 21 months of fighting, Quebecers are all sick of the pandemic. They’ve been trashing their first wave rainbows a long time ago.

After two doses of vaccines, they were promised a passport to return to normal life. But because of the new variant, they end up with new restrictions on one week before Christmas Eve.

Discouraging? It’s the least we can say.

The bill will be heavy for businesses that have already suffered so much, starting with restaurants and travel agencies which are grappling with a new wave of cancellations. We will have to come to their aid.

Families also have a lot on their hearts, they who did not have the chance to celebrate last year. Quebec gave them false joy, by promising them parties of 20 people, a premature announcement since we knew that Omicron risked muddying the waters.

This is forcing the Prime Minister to go back, exactly like last year when he had to change the rules of the “moral contract” he proposed to Quebecers for the holiday season.

Despite the unpleasant feeling of replaying in the same bad film, we must recognize that Quebec is making exactly the right decision by announcing this battery of health measures.

The ball is now in our court. Now is not the time to give up, as Omicron is a formidable opponent.

The variant, which already represents 20% of cases in Quebec, will spread at high speed throughout the province, since the number of cases is doubling every three days. Even if it makes people less sick than the Delta – which remains to be assessed – Omicron risks overwhelming our hospitals within a few weeks.

Of course, you have to speed up the administration of the third dose, because six months after their second dose, people are only 34% protected against Omicron (64% against Delta). The third dose would raise protection to 76%, according to a British study.

The success of the vaccination campaign so far gives us hope that Quebec will manage to increase its rate of approximately 100,000 doses administered per week recently, to more than 700,000 doses as in last July.

But it will not be instantaneous. And by then, Omicron will have time to do some damage.

This is why it is essential to reduce our contacts as much as possible during the holiday season. To use the rapid tests which will arrive at the pharmacy on Monday. To maintain barrier gestures.

Let’s console ourselves: a Christmas break is a lesser evil. The school children are at home. A good part of the workers too.

For families, it’s better to stay confined tight during the holidays than to be stuck with a puzzle in January, if you have to keep the kids at home.

By respecting the instructions of a maximum of 10 people – which is already better than last year – we increase the chances that young people will have a more or less normal winter term.

We spare hospital staff who are at their wit’s end, by reducing hospitalizations.

And by reducing the risk of slippage, we are saving ourselves from restrictions that could be even stricter in January. Indeed, if the situation escalates, who says the CAQ would not impose a new curfew to limit private gatherings?

If we want to avoid the worst, it’s up to us. Now.