The relaxation of health measures in Quebec has contributed to the recent increase in COVID cases in Quebec, and this resurgence was inevitable.
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This is what Benoit Barbeau, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) and expert in virology, believes. According to him, the increase in cases is also explained by the increased transmissibility of the BA.2 sub-variant.
“We have to learn to live with the virus, with its variants and sub-variants. We increase contacts, so the chances of transmission are higher, ”he underlines.
According to the most recent data from the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, the province experienced an increase of 2,203 cases on Friday. Two weeks ago, the number of new daily cases was below 1,400.
“We should not think that the fifth wave was the last. Even if we are now in a sixth wave, I do not believe that it is at the same level as the fifth”, tempers the expert.
He believes that Quebecers must remain optimistic thanks to “the residual immunity in the population following Omicron and the vaccination coverage”.
More aggressive method
According to him, there should be more efforts to increase PCR tests and a greater supply of testing sites.
“We have to be more proactive in terms of cases of infection. The Quebec government should be more aggressive in trying to get a better understanding of the epidemiological situation,” says Barbeau.
As for the fourth dose, it would be important above all for people vulnerable to infection.
“At the level of the general population, we cannot think of receiving an additional dose of vaccine every 3-4 months, especially since this vaccine is like the original virus”, says- he.