“An extreme gesture because the situation is extreme. It is with this formula that François Legault announced the return of the curfew in Quebec, one of the only places to put such a measure into effect.
We must “save our network and save lives,” said Mr. Legault to justify the new curfew, which will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. this Friday. The Prime Minister also announced Thursday the postponement of the return to class until January 17, the closure of dining rooms and the ban on private gatherings.
The number of people hospitalized has doubled in one week, from 473 to 939 people, in addition to the record of “16,000 cases [recensés] today, ”said Mr. Legault. Despite the underestimated figures due to rapid tests, the situation “is the worst” in the 22 months of the pandemic, the Prime Minister said.
To curb the spread of the Omicron variant, the police will impose fines of $ 1,000 to $ 6,000 on offenders starting this Friday evening. Even if “the vast majority” of citizens respect health rules, imposing the curfew only on unvaccinated people would be difficult for the police to enforce, the prime minister said. When the situation improves, he promised, “the first easing” will be the lifting of the curfew. However, he was careful not to bring forward a date.
“It is necessary to go there to ensure that we stop the contacts”, argued Mr. Legault. The risk of exceeding the capacity of hospitals with more hospitalizations would lead “eventually to no longer being able to treat” all Quebecers, he warned.
PHOTO SARAH MONGEAU-BIRKETT, THE PRESS
The Minister of Health, Christian Dubé
To a question on the link between the curfew and the reduction in the number of cases, Mr. Legault replied that it was difficult to isolate a measure to know the impact.
We have indications that it is useful. The situation is so serious that we cannot afford not to add [le couvre-feu] in our toolbox.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
On January 9, a curfew was introduced from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., due to the pandemic situation. The measure, which was to last a month, was finally lifted on May 28.
“We will do everything to reopen the schools”
In order to “give a big blow” from this Friday, the return to class of primary and secondary schools as well as CEGEPs and universities is postponed to January 17. “We will do everything to reopen the schools” on this date, assured François Legault. According to school calendars, classes will continue at a distance between now and the start of the school year in person. On December 20, the government announced the closure of primary and secondary schools until January 10.
Schools are places where the risk of an outbreak “is greater,” said François Legault. School day care services remain open for the children of essential workers.
Among the other measures announced, private gatherings will now be banned, except for single people who will be able to graft themselves – with their children, if necessary – to another bubble. A visit from a caregiver will also be permitted. Outdoors, a maximum of 250 people will still be able to gather at public events and up to 20 people at private gatherings.
Indoors, indoor sports activities will no longer be permitted, unless practiced by a single person, a pair or the occupants of the same residence. Same scenario in places of worship, except for funerals, which 25 people can attend. Restaurants will also have to close their dining rooms, but will be able to prepare take-out orders. The government is once again imposing the closure of businesses on Sundays, with the exception of convenience stores, gas stations and pharmacies.
The vaccine passport could be required in more shops, said Mr. Legault. “It is important that we make an effort to give certain advantages to those vaccinated,” he stressed. It is a question of fairness. ”
“All the chances on our side”
According to experts interviewed by Press, all measures must be put in place to curb the outbreak of cases.
“Given the magnitude of the problem, I think we have to put the odds on our side, and the curfew is part of that,” says DD Maryse Guay, medical consultant at the Department of Public Health and at the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ). “The INESSS and INSPQ models show that we are in a truly catastrophic situation. And currently, we do not have the impact on hospitalizations of current cases ”, underlines Mme Guay.
We must give “a big blow”, also believes Alain Lamarre, professor-researcher specializing in immunology and virology at the National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS).
We have already reached an unprecedented level of hospitalization […]. We can’t afford that it increases by 100 [hospitalisations] per day.
Alain Lamarre, professor-researcher specializing in immunology and virology at INRS
However, there is no clear cause and effect link between the implementation of a curfew and the decrease in COVID-19 cases, according to Roxane Borgès Da Silva, professor at the School of Public Health of the ‘Montreal university. “It is very difficult to isolate the effect of the curfew in the sanitary measures, because all the countries which have implemented the curfew have implemented other measures”, such as the closure bars and schools, she explains.
But this measure has “probably an effect on the drop in cases and hospitalizations”, by limiting travel and discouraging the holding of private gatherings inside, evokes Mr.me Borges Da Silva.
“Constraints” for the unvaccinated
Mr. Legault said “understand the anger” of people towards unvaccinated adults who represent 10% of the population, but 50% of hospitalizations.
Some people suggest that we stop treating unvaccinated people. But this is not the kind of society we want.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
For Maryse Guay, trying to convince the unvaccinated to receive their injection is “ethically very sensitive”. “We really have to put measures in place so that there are benefits related to vaccination, and that this is recognized at the level of our society,” she said. “The freedom to choose not to be vaccinated must be accompanied by the freedom to accept the constraints that go with it”, adds the doctor.
“Good decisions”
Criticized sharply about the management of the pandemic, Dr.r Horacio Arruda is still the right person to take on the role of national public health director, François Legault said firmly.
“There are a lot of uncertainties, but we have made good decisions for 22 months,” he added. There is nothing black or white. ”
Mr. Legault also maintained that Quebec was “at the front of the parade”, citing the example of many states having adopted the same measures a few weeks later.
The new measures
- The curfew will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Fines of up to $ 6,000 will be imposed on offenders.
- Private gatherings inside will be prohibited, with the exception of single people, who will be able to join – with their children, if necessary – in a bubble, and those whose condition requires the visit of a caregiver.
- Private outdoor gatherings are permitted, provided they do not exceed 20 people.
- Outdoor public gatherings are permitted with a limit of 250 people.
- The return to class from primary to university is postponed to January 17 and teaching will be done remotely until that date.
- Places of worship will be closed, except for funerals with a maximum of 25 people.
- Restaurants must close their dining rooms, but take out orders are still allowed.
- Businesses will be closed on Sunday, with the exception of convenience stores, gas stations and pharmacies.
- Indoor sports activities are suspended, unless they are practiced by a single person, two people or the occupants of the same residence.