In Austria, since Monday, the unvaccinated have been confined. A first among the member countries of the European Union.
In the Netherlands, without going that far, a series of “severe restrictions” were announced for a period of three weeks. Restaurants, bars and shops will close earlier and major sporting events will take place behind closed doors, among others.
In Quebec ?
It is time to relax.
Among the relaxations in force since Monday: wearing a mask is no longer compulsory in high school, we no longer have to favor telework and we can resume dancing in bars.
Oh, and the karaoke is back!
We say to ourselves that there is something paradoxical about seeing certain countries in Europe tightening the screw when we are doing the opposite.
Yet this is not heresy.
It can be explained rationally.
First of all because of our performance in terms of vaccination. Here, 87% of those aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated (77.4% of the total population) and the difference between the administration of the two doses has had a positive impact on the immunity of Quebecers.
We aspire to better, of course.
But in some of the European Union countries where the situation is deteriorating, vaccination rates are lower than in Quebec. About 65% of all Austrians are fully vaccinated, for example. And we are not even talking about Russia, where this rate is around 40%.
The slackening in Quebec can also be explained by the fact that we already had more stringent measures in place than in some of the countries which must resolve to tighten the screws.
The vaccination passport as it exists in Quebec, the Netherlands have just announced that they will impose it… in three weeks!
France has just reinstated the wearing of a compulsory mask in all primary schools… which is already the case here.
No question, therefore, of accusing our health authorities of recklessness.
Yes, there is a risk, but under the circumstances it is calculated.
Moreover, the disappearance of the mask in high school class, which is probably the measure most likely to increase transmission, will not necessarily apply everywhere.
It should also be noted that high school students have been widely vaccinated (87.5%) and that it is very easy to turn back if the situation requires it.
As for the other relaxations, by the way.
But the point is that a gradual return to normal is required.
Those who have not been vaccinated will likely become infected one day or another. There are approximately 740,000 aged 12 and over in Quebec.
It is still too much.
We deplore it.
And we continue to encourage them to roll up their sleeves.
But normal life cannot be held hostage by this minority forever.
What is fundamental is to protect our health system.
Currently, even though the number of cases has climbed in recent weeks in Quebec, the hospital network is not overwhelmed by patients with COVID-19. Another reason why the recent easing seems reasonable.
Quebec is not Austria, therefore, but vigilance remains in order.
Adherence to the measures which remain in force must not be eroded.
This famous moral contract that François Legault began to talk about a year ago almost to the day is still valid.
And his respect will have an impact this time again on the holiday season, obviously.
But it’s too early to say what should and should not be allowed between Christmas and New Years. There remains a great unknown: will we have time to vaccinate primary school children by then?
These young people are currently one of the most important vectors of transmission in Quebec society.
You can’t imagine celebrating over the holidays as if the pandemic is a thing of the past when the youngest ones are not getting vaccinated.
That would be really playing with fire.
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