Quebec Worries For A 'Calm Before The Storm' In Montreal Due To The COVID-19 U.K. Variant

The government is planning to make a bigger announcement on March 3.

Quebec's Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, expressed worry regarding COVID-19 variant strains in Montreal, describing the situation as "the calm before the storm" in a press conference on March 2.

According to Dubé, cases of the B.1.1.7 variant — which was identified in the United Kingdom — are rising rapidly in the Greater Montreal area.

"We are afraid that the Montreal region is the calm before the storm," Dubé said.

He said the provincial government will be making an announcement to give more details on this subject on March 3.

However, Dubé did not provide more information on what the announcement would entail.

"Vaccination is our weapon of massive risk reduction," he said.

Quebec issued 16,458 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Quebecers on March 1 for a total of 537,825 doses administered across the province.

The province is currently beginning to vaccinate those born in 1936 or earlier across Quebec, and Montrealers aged 70 and up.

You can learn how to make appointments for COVID-19 vaccine doses here.