Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

User AvatarBuild your avatar
The name you want to be displayed publicly in comments. Your username will be unique profile link.
Menu +

covid 19 quebec

Quebec's Free COVID Tests Won't Be Free Much Longer — Here Are The Exceptions

Quebec's program to provide free COVID-19 tests at participating pharmacies will continue — but not everyone gets access. The distribution of free tests will continue through March 31, 2024, only for those people considered high-risk, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) announced on Monday, March 26.

Since September 2021, over 131 million tests were distributed by the MSSS, 42 million of which were distributed by pharmacies.

Keep readingShow less

Pretty Much Everybody Had COVID Antibodies In Canada in 2022 — Here's What It Means

The phrase "post-pandemic" is becoming increasingly commonplace, but is Canada — let alone the world — really done with COVID-19? The second part of an ongoing Statistics Canada survey shows that, for many Canadians, the pandemic left more of a mark than we'd like to think.

Tested between April and August 2022, just over half — 54% — of Canadian adults who participated in the survey had antibodies that indicated a past infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, StatsCan says. Surveyed at the same time, 40% of Canadians indicated that they didn't think they'd ever had COVID-19.

Keep readingShow less
covid-19

XBB.1.5 Is Yet Another New COVID-19 Subvariant — Here's Everything You Need To Know

As of January 4, 2022, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed that it is aware of 21 XBB.1.5 subvariant cases in Canada.

The newest COVID-19 subvariant known as the XBB.1.5 is the "most transmissible subvariant that's been detected yet," according to epidemiologist Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's (WHO) COVID-19 technical lead.

Keep readingShow less

Quebec Has A New Mask Recommendation — What You Need To Know

As the winter chill brought Montreal's first snowfall of the season, Quebec's government officials have clarified the role of masking in preventing respiratory illness during the colder months. Though masking is not mandatory outside of hospitals, it has been formally recommended in public places as of a November 16 press conference.

Keep readingShow less

Quebec Is Officially Recommending Masks Again — Under Certain Circumstances

Public health is officially recommending that Quebecers of all ages wear a mask in crowded public places, with the exception of schools and daycares, amid an uptick in viral diseases. Health Minister Christian Dubé made the announcement Wednesday.

Quebec’s Collège des médecins has called current outbreaks of the flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) in children and the continuing circulation of COVID-19 a "triple threat." Dubé said Wednesday that the circumstances have made the health system particularly "fragile."

Keep readingShow less

Quebec Doctors Want You To Mask In Public Again Because Of A 'Triple Threat' Of Viruses

Though masking in public has been a recommendation in some cases since the mandate ended, Quebec health experts are calling on the public to once again adopt the measure in light of an increase in the number of respiratory virus cases in children and crowding in pediatric emergency departments.

Dr. Guylaine Larose, a pediatrician working at CHU Sainte-Justine, raised the alarm in a widely shared tweet on November 12, claiming that she had never seen as many children admitted to the hospital with respiratory viruses before. "Where is public health to advise the population on prevention?" the specialist wrote.

Keep readingShow less
covid-19 quebec

Should You Get Another COVID-19 Booster Shot? Here's What You Need To Know

We get it, alright? Everyone is sick (ha ha) of COVID-19, restrictions, masks, vaccinations and listening to at-risk people's concerns for their lives. But unfortunately, the pandemic hasn't relaxed along with our commitment to safe practices. In fact, it's been happily giving short and long COVID to Canadians, and one way officials say we can keep protecting ourselves — besides good hygiene — is by staying up to date on booster shots.

Keep readingShow less
covid-19 quebec

Christian Dubé Warned Of Another COVID-19 Wave & Says We Need To Get Even More Vaxxed

In his first press conference appearance in many weeks, Health Minister Christian Dubé firmly recommended that Quebecers get up-to-date vaccinations as COVID-19 hospitalizations rise, again. The new bivalent Pfizer vaccine is just one of the options available, and Dubé, alongside Dr. Luc Boileau, confirmed that all available vaccines seem as effective as each other.

Although hospitalizations are high, Dubé emphasized that the growth in cases isn't exponential, and stated a goal of 200,000 vaccinations per week. Currently, the average is closer to 100,000, and that number hasn't reached Dubé's goal since last summer.

Keep readingShow less
covid-19 quebec

Minister Dubé Will Make A Rare Appearance At A Quebec COVID-19 Press Conference Today

Provincial Health Minister Christian Dubé will join National Public Health Director Dr. Luc Boileau at a press conference Wednesday afternoon to discuss Quebec's current COVID-19 situation.

Conferences including both government and public health officials have been rare since Boileau's takeover as interim public health director following the resignation of Dr. Horacio Arruda in January.

Keep readingShow less
quebec urgent care

Quebec's Urgent Cares Are Struggling Mid-Pandemic As Support Staff Go On Strike

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect all sectors of life in Quebec, and few areas are hit as hard as hospitals themselves — urgent care perhaps worst of all. Now, emergency services support workers in Montreal have announced a set strike from September 20 to 27.

Urgent care services — the sector whose workers are striking — are still overcrowded and understaffed. As of last Monday, September 12, the percentage of beds filled in urgent care was 120.3%. For reference, the target is 85% or less.

Keep readingShow less

A Former Quebec Vaccine Clinic Employee Is Facing Charges For Allegedly Faking Vax Passports

Minister of Public Security Geneviève Guilbault revealed in January that Quebec's anti-corruption agency (UPAC) had 150 investigations in progress for cases of fraudulent vaccine passports.

Guilbault stated that many were linked to internal corruption, and they've cracked down on one (now former) COVID-19 vaccine clinic employee who has been charged with breach of trust and production of false vaccine evidence.

Keep readingShow less
covid-19 quebec

An Omicron Variant COVID-19 Vaccine Is Arriving In Quebec On Thursday

Quebecers will soon be able to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine that targets the Omicron variant. Public Health Director Dr. Luc Boileau said the shot would be available at most vaccination centres in the province by the afternoon of Thursday, September 8.

The updated Moderna vaccine is bivalent, offering two kinds of protection against the original COVID-19 strain and BA.1 subvariant. It will be prioritized for residents over 30 years old, said Boileau. Those 30 and under will continue to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Keep readingShow less