Prime Minister François Legault wanted to send a “clear message” to Quebecers as the start of the new school year approaches and a possible eighth wave: people whose last injection dates back more than five months must get their booster dose. .
“I am counting on you,” said Mr. Legault on Tuesday, accompanied by the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, the national director of public health, Dr.r Luc Boileau and the President of the Quebec Immunization Committee (CIQ), Dr.D Caroline Quack. The Prime Minister believes that this is the right time to launch “a massive vaccination campaign”, with the imminent return to school benches which means “more contacts” inside.
The operation began Monday in CHSLDs and RPAs. People over the age of 75 can make their appointment since Tuesday. As of August 22, vaccination will be open to people aged 60 and over. Finally, other Quebecers aged 18 and over will in turn be able to roll up their sleeves as of August 29.
Nearly 150 sites will be set up to vaccinate the population, not counting pharmacies, which will make it possible to administer 300,000 booster doses per week, specified Minister Dubé. Among the “major centers” deployed during the vaccination campaign, there is in particular the Olympic Stadium, where it will be possible to make an appointment.
Eligibility for a booster dose is now only a matter of time elapsed — 5 months or more since the previous dose — and that’s it, Dubé explained. “We’re no longer saying, ‘Did you have two doses? Three doses? Four doses?” »
However, the many people who have recently contracted COVID-19 will have to wait until three months have passed since the infection before receiving a new injection.
Do not wait for the “Omicron vaccine”
Christian Dubé invited the population not to wait for the arrival of the new vaccine targeting the Omicron variant. He pointed out that there are “much greater” benefits to protecting yourself as soon as possible with the current vaccine, which continues to adequately protect against serious complications of the disease.
Especially since no details are known about Health Canada’s approval of the new vaccine developed by Moderna, said Minister Dubé. Ditto for the number of doses that will be available.
If the drop in the number of hospitalizations shows that the seventh wave is running out of steam, “we must remain cautious”, recalled the Prime Minister. The National Director of Public Health, Dr.r Luc Boileau, underlined that COVID-19 continues to make “people sick, very sick”. Vaccination remains the best way to protect against the disease, insisted Minister Dubé.
On Tuesday, health authorities reported 1,964 COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Quebec. This is a decrease of 29 from the previous day. Of the number, 50 patients are in intensive care, which means 5 less. Thirty-six more people have succumbed to the virus.
No return of health measures in sight
François Legault said that Public Health does not anticipate having to recommend the return of health measures against COVID-19 in September.
The Quebec Committee on Immunization and Public Health “always remain free to make recommendations to the government to put in place mandatory measures,” however, stressed the Prime Minister.
Tuesday’s press briefing was the first in several months held by Mr. Legault in the company of Dr.r Boileau. “What is important to say is that we are launching a vaccination campaign,” said the Prime Minister. It’s absolutely non-partisan: it’s for the good of Quebecers, and we do it with the public health people. »
Minister Dubé assured that “unless it is extremely serious”, Mr. Legault and he would not hold a press conference alongside Public Health during the election campaign.
Regarding the precautions candidates should take during the election campaign, Dr.r Boileau stressed that these are always “basic measures”: physical distancing, hand washing and good ventilation of the premises, among others.