Despite the lifting of the curfew, most of the health restrictions announced this winter by François Legault remain in force. The duty make the point.
Since 5 a.m. Monday morning, the controversial curfew has fallen in Quebec. “As promised”, the government of François Legault ended the second version of this measure “given that we seem to be reaching a peak” in hospitalizations.
If it weren’t for the storm, school in person would also have resumed in the morning.
“Obviously, we hope, in the coming weeks, to be able to reopen restaurants, performance halls, underlined the Prime Minister last week. Being able to put back in place what had before Christmas. »
At the moment, however, “there have never been so many people in our hospitals and […] more people are entering it every day, ”wrote Marjaurie Côté-Boileau, the press secretary for the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, to Le Devoir. “The situation is critical,” she added.
Gatherings therefore remain prohibited in cottages. Public Health only gives its approval to external meetings of a maximum of twenty people. And these must come from at most three different addresses.
As during last year’s confinement, rare exceptions apply to single people who wish to join a bubble.
No horizon yet
Apart from schools, businesses and libraries, public spaces also remain largely closed in Quebec. And “it is still much too early to speak of a deconfinement”, wrote the office of Minister Dubé on Monday.
Since they had to stop their activities again in December, restaurateurs have not received a reopening horizon. When contacted Monday morning, the Quebec Restoration Association (ARQ) had no meeting scheduled with Quebec this week.
“We, what we want is a reopening on February 8”, just in time for Valentine’s Day, launched the director of public and governmental affairs for the ARQ, Martin Vézina, on Monday.
On its website, the Quebec government is content to write that the revival of the restaurant and bar sector is not on the table “until further notice”.
Fixed this week?
On Saturday, The duty reported that the office of the Minister of Culture, Nathalie Roy, had invited the arts and performing arts community for a meeting this week. The objective: “to identify possible solutions to promote the most predictable and solid recovery possible”.
Like restaurateurs, owners of performance halls and cinemas do not yet know when they will reopen.
Will the meeting with Quebec give any clues? “It’s a brainstorming session,” said Ms. Roy’s office.
Ready, Set…
With the restart of the school year, the holding of extracurricular sports activities resumes. However, the world of sport is still far from being deconfined.
Quebec has put a stop to the holding of tournaments or group sports activities. The training rooms also remain on hiatus.
Outside, the portrait changes. While physical distancing must be respected “as much as possible”, most sporting activities can take place outside. In ski centres, however, you have to get used to the idea that physical effort will be done on an empty stomach: it is forbidden to eat and drink inside.
Places of worship still closed
Places of worship are not immune to the wave of closures decreed in December by the Legault government. At present, these must keep their doors closed. Funerals for less than 26 people are permitted.
If the idea came to someone to get married at -20º C, Public Health allows outdoor ceremonies for 250 guests.