« The passport will be withdrawn for all places [publics] March 14. »
As it has done so far, the Legault government will proceed gradually and in stages:
Starting tomorrow, either the 16th February, the vaccination passport will no longer be required at the door of businesses with an area of more than 1,500 square meters. It will also no longer be required to enter the branches of the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) and the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC).
Starting the 21 Februarythe vaccination passport will no longer be essential to enter places of worship, attend funerals and access places of condolence.
the 14 mars soon, the obligation to present a vaccination passport will be abolished in all public places in Quebec, including living environments for seniors such as RPAthe CHSLD and intermediate and family-type resources (RIRTF).
We are talking, among other things, of restaurants, bars, cinemas, shows, casinos, public events and assemblies. The use of the vaccine passport will also be withdrawn from places of leisure such as recreation centers, sports centers, spas and saunas and rooms rented for private gatherings.
can we read in the communiqué of the government of Quebec.
« This last step that we are announcing today is also consistent, and this is very important, with the increasingly important arrival of Paxlovid, which is the antiviral [oral] from Pfizer which can also be used to cure people. »
We are giving ourselves the means to cure people who are more at risk with antivirals, but also to protect our health system.
added Minister Dubé on Tuesday at a press conference.
Improvement of the epidemiological situation
Last Friday, Minister Dubé raised the possibility of the vaccine passport being suspended when the epidemiological situation allows it.
However, given thatat least 25% of the population has already contracted COVID-19, according to public health estimates, and that the majority of indicators have been declining for several weeks, including the number of hospitalizations, health authorities and the government have made the decision to begin lifting gradually the use of the vaccination passport.
« This is a recommendation we have been working on for several days now. […] but we didn’t feel comfortable making the recommendation the day before yesterday. We needed a certain solidity in those indicators to recommend it. »
The crisis exit plan scheduled for March 14 is not advanced, assured Dr. Luc Boileau, national director of public health. This is our recommendation
he insisted.
The passport remains an effective tool
Imposed last september, the vaccination passport has become an essential measure that has quickly become part of the habits of Quebecers. Even if we will no longer use it in a month, the government ensures that it will remain in its arsenal to fight the pandemic if other waves occur.
Dr. Luc Boileau, acting national director of public health in Quebec, defended the effectiveness of the vaccine passport.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Sylvain Roy Roussel
The imposition of the vaccine passport would have encouraged no less than 600,000 Quebecers to be vaccinated, according to estimates from Quebec.
The vaccine passport was very effective. It is a tool that has reduced hospitalizations, morbidity, mortality, intensive care, and it is a tool that must remain. […] If ever there are more waves, it might come in handy
says Dr. Luc Boileau.
« Me, what I would say if I had a little advice: “So keep it on your phone”. »
Minister Dubé advises Quebecers all the more to keep it, because it is still required to travel abroad, in particular.
For its part, Ontario must abolish the use of the vaccine passport as of March 1 next.
The wearing of the mask maintained until further notice
Asked about the need to continue wearing the mask since the deconfinement is going well in Quebec, Dr. Boileau explained that there is no question of withdrawing this measure for the moment. The mask remains a very effective measure to reduce contagion
he recalled.
people with COVID, hospitalized in our hospitals, it’s huge”,”text”:”The current epidemiological situation does not allow us to lift the rules surrounding the use of the mask. The healthcare system remains fragile. He is better, but still fragile. More than 2000 people with COVID, hospitalized in our hospitals, it’s huge”}}”>The current epidemiological situation does not allow us to lift the rules surrounding the use of the mask. The healthcare system remains fragile. He is better, but still fragile. More than 2000 people with COVID, hospitalized in our hospitals, it’s huge
he added.
In his last report published on TuesdayQuebec reports 2052 hospitalizations, including 132 patients treated in intensive care, as well as 56 deaths due to COVID-19.
In hospitals, where the situation is improving due to the continued decline in hospitalizations attributable to COVID-19, the return of thousands of workers to the network has made it possible to considerably reduce the offloading of non-emergency surgical procedures.
% of our operations, welcomed Christian Dubé. Remember a month ago, we were at25 or 30% in several regions.”,”text”:”We went up with the use of private clinics to about 75% of our operations, welcomed Christian Dubé. Remember a month ago, we were at 25 or 30% in several of the regions.”}}”>We went up with the use of private clinics to about 75% of our operations, welcomed Christian Dubé. Remember a month ago, we were at 25 or 30% in several of the regions.
Lack of consistency, deplores the opposition
Asked in the morning about the Legault government’s decision to relax the requirements for the vaccine passport, the leader of the opposition, Dominique Anglade, declared that François Legault is hard to follow
.
« Curfew, no curfew, antivaccine tax, no antivaccine taxes, vaccine passport that was to be deployed, maintained, is now lifted. The contradictory messages of François Legault have been numerous and it must stop. »
At Québec solidaire, we are still wondering about the real usefulness of this measure.
I want to hear public health on this issue. I want public health to tell us its advantages in terms of transmitting the virus
asked party spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
Since the beginning of the application of this measure, we have never had a clear and explicit scientific opinion, documented on the impact of this measure. This contributes, unfortunately, to the lack of adherence
lamented Mr. Nadeau-Dubois.
degrees from a Pierre Fitzgibbon, the 1stlast February, who said he wanted to extend to other businesses”,”text”:”It’s a 180 degree turn compared to a Pierre Fitzgibbon, last February 1, who said he wanted to extend to other businesses”}}” >It’s a 180 degree turn from a Pierre Fitzgibbon, on February 1, who said he wanted to expand to other businesses
recalled the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
degrees compared to what Christian Dubé told us in a press briefing, namely that the vaccine passport was here to stay.”,”text”:”We also talked, at the CAQ, about extending to a third dose the vaccination passport. It is also a 180 degree difference to what Christian Dubé told us in a press briefing, namely that the vaccine passport was here to stay.”}}”>We also talked, at the CAQ, of extending the vaccine passport to a third dose. It is also a 180 degree in relation to what Christian Dubé told us in a press briefing, namely that the vaccine passport was here to stay.