Quebec is reviewing its vaccination strategy as vacationers return to work. Public Health now recommends the booster dose for all adults, as long as they received their last dose at least five months ago.
This summer, the national director of public health in Quebec, Luc Boileau, repeated several times that Quebecers had the choice of whether or not to receive this fourth dose – third for those who had contracted COVID-19. On Friday, at a press conference in Montreal, the discourse changed.
“We encourage people: regardless of their age, they can get a booster dose,” said Dr. Boileau.
Unless they have contracted COVID-19 in the last three months, Quebecers who received their last dose more than five months ago should therefore go to Clic Santé to make an appointment, suggests Public Health. “It’s available now,” said Dr. Boileau. Some adjustments were requested in the vaccination centers. »
Moreover, those who are vaccinated this fall could get their hands on a vaccine adapted to the Omicron variant, which has become the dominant strain in Quebec this winter. Dr. Boileau and the public health teams are in contact with the Public Health Agency of Canada on this subject. “There are vaccines that are on the way,” he said. We don’t have exact dates. It is expected that it could arrive by September, maybe a little closer to October.
About a month before the start of the school year and despite the fact that “a rise in cases” is expected in the fall, Quebec will not adjust its recommendations for children and adolescents. “We are going to talk to the people in charge of the [Comité sur l’immunisation du Québec] for this purpose. They are not recommending us to put in more effort than what is already there. […] We are not currently planning any other measures for the return to class, ”said Dr. Boileau on Friday.
For the moment, assures the national director of public health, the “stable” trend continues, which could be accompanied by a drop in cases in the coming weeks.
Fewer hospitalizations
Quebec reported 16 new deaths related to COVID-19 on Friday, in addition to a drop in hospitalizations. There are currently 2,176 hospitalizations, including 738 due to COVID-19, a decrease of 46 from Thursday. However, in Montreal more particularly, the transmission of the coronavirus still has an impact on the care services.
After the death of a Montrealer who waited more than eleven hours for an ambulance in May — the situation was reported by The Journal of Montreal in the morning —, Urgences Santé agrees that there is always a risk that situations of this kind will repeat themselves. “We have returned to normal mode, with a higher staff shortage than before the pandemic. That’s where you see the difference,” explained the To have to spokesperson for the paramedical services management organization Stéphane Smith.
“It’s much more difficult,” he agreed.
Dr. Boileau once again calls on Quebecers to be vigilant. Especially since in Montreal, the start of the Osheaga weekend suggests an increase in cases. After the Festival d’été de Québec, the capital had seen its number of cases increase dramatically. “Yes, in Quebec, we had an increase in cases as a corollary with these festivities, he raised. Of course, a message of caution is also addressed to other events. »