(Montreal) In order to confront the Omicron variant which is creating an outbreak of new cases of COVID-19, additional health restrictions will come into effect as of Monday in Quebec and rapid tests will be distributed in pharmacies.
The first shipments of rapid tests should arrive Monday in nearly 2,000 pharmacies in Quebec.
Each of them must receive a first case of 108 kits of five tests on Monday, or Tuesday at the latest for certain pharmacies located in more remote regions, announced the Quebec Association of Pharmaceutical Distributors (AQDP).
“Thereafter, every day until December 23, new rapid tests will arrive in Quebec and will be immediately distributed by distributors to all pharmacies in Quebec,” AQDP said in a press release on Sunday.
The mandate to deliver some 800,000 test kits for COVID-19 to pharmacies by the start of the holiday season has been given to pharmaceutical distributors in Quebec, who supply drugs to all hospitals and pharmacies in the region daily. province.
“We anticipate strong demand across Quebec and are fully aware of the challenges associated with limited supplies. With our pharmacist-owner partners, we are asking for the patience and collaboration of the population in this context, ”AQDP President Albert Falardeau said in a press release.
New restrictions in effect Monday
To reduce the spread of the virus, additional health restrictions will come into effect on Monday in Quebec.
The provincial government asked Quebeckers on Thursday to reduce their social contacts by 50%. With this in mind, restaurants, bars, casinos, gyms, theaters and cinemas as well as conferences will have to limit their capacity to 50%. The ban on dancing and karaoke will be reinstated, barely a month after being revoked.
In shops and shopping centers, the limit has been set at one customer per 20 square meters of floor space. This measure does not affect personal care establishments such as hairdressers and massage therapists. The opening hours for the After-Christmas sales on December 26 will be extended.
The 50% rule will also apply to places of worship and for essential public activities such as assemblies that can accommodate a maximum of 250 people, but they will now have to require the vaccination passport.
For funerals, the current capacity of a turnover of 50 people present at a time is maintained. Public Health authorizes the holding of wedding or funeral ceremonies without requiring the vaccination passport, but with a maximum of 25 people.
For private gatherings inside, the limit remains the same, either 10 people or the occupants of three residences. Quebec has backed down on the possibility of holding gatherings of 20 people from December 23.
From December 20, the measures will also be tightened in CHSLDs, private seniors’ residences, intermediate resources (RI) and certain family-type resources (RTF). For example, only one visitor or caregiver at a time, for a maximum number of four people per day, will be authorized to visit a person living, among others, in CHSLDs and certain RI-RTFs. It will also be prohibited for relatives and visitors to access common areas, with the exception of relatives who help feed a resident.
In education, the wearing of masks in class and in common areas has been reintroduced. The face-to-face return after the holiday break is scheduled for January 10 for the secondary, college, university and vocational training sectors. The start date scheduled for the primary level is maintained.
There are also new restrictions on the practice of sports and recreation. Suspension from tournaments or competition and a limit of 25 participants inside are included.
Quebec also strongly recommends teleworking. Wearing a mask at all times and a physical distance of 2 meters must again be respected in the workplace.