For the first time in 2023, the national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, is giving an update this Thursday afternoon on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other infectious respiratory diseases in Quebec.
In particular, he indicated that the additional booster dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 will now be recommended only for people at risk who have never had the disease.
Dr. Boileau is accompanied for the occasion by Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh, pediatrician and microbiologist-infectiologist at CHU Sainte-Justine.
The latter is also the president of the Quebec Committee on Immunization (CIQ), one of whose mandates is to advise the Ministry of Health on immunization strategies to be implemented in Quebec. It is therefore expected to obtain clarification on the recommendations for vaccination against COVID-19.
In this regard, the opposition parties made it clear Thursday morning that the message of Public Health must be reframed.
Quebec Solidaire House Leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois said the guidelines have been difficult to follow for several weeks and even months.
“I think I am a relatively informed man and even I often have trouble following and understanding exactly what the recommendations of the Quebec government are,” he added.
“Everyone has understood that we have moved into a new stage in the management of the pandemic, but the importance of clear, simple, concise communication remains”, added the elected representative, saying to expect to a clear message on the next steps.
“Where are we” with COVID-19?
On the Parti Québécois side, MP Pascal Bérubé also wants to know “where are we? with COVID-19.
“In the last few weeks, there have been people who wear the mask, people who do not wear the mask. Everyone is on their own, but it takes clear instructions, ”he claims, asking the question: “Are we still in a pandemic? »
Pascal Bérubé fears that by ceasing to hammer the message to protect oneself against the virus, we observe a relaxation which could have consequences on the health network already in bad shape.
According to the daily report from the Ministry of Health, five additional deaths linked to COVID-19 have been recorded, but they all occurred more than a week ago. In hospitals, 1439 patients have COVID-19, including 452 who are hospitalized precisely because of the disease. Of the lot, 25 people are being treated in an intensive care unit.
In addition, the health network is deprived of 2,230 workers due to preventive withdrawals, isolation or awaiting screening results.