Province faces "difficult choices," Legault says, promising an update Wednesday on plan to fight Omicron spread and protect the health system.
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Updated throughout the day on Tuesday, Dec. 21. Questions/comments: ariga@postmedia.com
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Top updates
- Speculation swirls about return of curfew, more restrictions as Omicron dominates in Quebec
- Quebec daily cases set to surpass 6,000, Radio Canada says
- Quebec asks Canadian Red Cross for help: report
- Quebec says another 758,000 rapid tests will be dispatched to pharmacies starting tomorrow
- Swamped Kirkland and Verdun walk-in test clinics have been closed for the day
- Photos: Montrealers had to cool their heels to get tested for COVID today
- Quebec in talks over possible vaccination help from Canadian Armed Forces
- New Year’s Eve comes early in Quebec to beat restrictions on parties
- Think you have COVID during the Omicron wave? Here’s what to do
- Chart: Which Quebecers are being hospitalized due to COVID?
- Montreal declares health state of emergency
- Plante – in isolation after contracting COVID – says she’s feeling ‘much better’
- Here’s how Quebec’s current situation compares to one year ago
- Quebec reports record 5,043 new cases as hospitalizations hit seven-month high
- If you have a dog, study says, you might have lower pandemic anxiety
- Quebec ERs are exceeding capacity as holidays approach, COVID spikes
- Opération Nez Rouge cancels drive-home service amid surge in Quebec cases
- Belgian researchers warn against holiday reliance on rapid antigen tests
- Omicron in Quebec: Five tips to keep yourself safe
- Small businesses again struggling amid capacity limits
- Opinion: Bracing for an Omicron Christmas catastrophe
- Sign up for our free nightly coronavirus newsletter
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4:50 p.m.
Speculation swirls about return of curfew, more restrictions as Omicron dominates in Quebec
Another day, another record number of infections in Quebec.
For the third straight day Tuesday, the province reported an unprecedented number of new daily cases.
The new high is 5,043 and the upward trajectory is expected to continue, with Radio Canada reporting the case count will surpass 6,000 tomorrow.
Quebec is now regularly posting more cases in one day than it did during entire weeks in November.
The province is having a hard time keeping up with the demand for testing, with long lines up at screening centres and laboratories overloaded.
Hospitalizations are also heading in the wrong direction, exceeding 400 for the first time since May.
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Fast-spreading Omicron dominates
In a sign that the situation is likely to worsen, Quebec’s public health institute on Tuesday afternoon announced its analysis shows that the fast-spreading Omicron variant is now responsible for about eight in 10 new cases in the province.
“Laboratory analysis has revealed the very rapid progression of the Omicron variant, with a prevalence of around 80 per cent, barely three weeks after the first confirmed case in Quebec,” the institute said in a press release.
“This means that eight out of 10 (COVID) infections are now attributed to the Omicron variant” in Quebec.
The institute added: “The Omicron variant is of concern because of the many mutations in its genome. Several of these mutations are associated with increased infectivity or immune escape, i.e. partial resistance to antibodies induced by vaccination or natural infection with SARS-CoV-2.
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“It’s also much more transmissible than the Delta variant, with a doubling time of 1.5 to three days. There is still little data on the clinical severity of the Omicron variant and how it is influenced by vaccination or pre-existing immunity.”
Legault to address Quebecers Wednesday
Faced with a surge that could overwhelm Quebec’s health network, the provincial government is expected to announce further measures on Wednesday.
“Like many places around the world, Quebec is faced with very difficult choices,” Premier François Legault said via Twitter on Tuesday.
“What guides us is the capacity that we will or will not have to treat sick Quebecers in the coming weeks. We will get back to you tomorrow with our decisions.”
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On Monday, Health Minister Christian Dubé announced a series of new restrictions, including the shuttering of bars and gyms, and the closure of restaurant dining rooms at 10 p.m. nightly.
Dubé said the government was set to receive new case and hospitalization projections from the province’s public health institute on Monday night.
After reviewing them, the province could add more restrictions, Dubé said.
The projections presented to the government were “catastrophic,” Radio Canada reported Tuesday.
Curfew could hurt homeless: Plante
There is speculation Legault may impose severe restrictions, including a curfew similar to the one in place for more than four months between January and May.
A reporter on Tuesday asked Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante whether she would support such a measure.
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In response, the mayor said she has not spoken to Legault about a curfew, with the focus instead on the measures being implemented in places such as bars and restaurants.
“What I hope is that if the Quebec government and public health decide to put a curfew in place, the most vulnerable population must be considered,” Plante added.
“I’m talking about people living with homelessness. We have to ensure that we don’t make them even more vulnerable given their situation.”
Montreal declares state of emergency
Plante made the comments as she announced that a health state of emergency has been declared for the region, allowing Montreal to immediately purchase protective gear and rapid tests for municipal employees who provide essential public services, including firefighters, police, workers at water filtration plants and blue collars involved in snow removal.
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4:45 p.m.
Ontario investigating rapid COVID test resales for possible fines
Ontarians who resell rapid antigen COVID-19 test kits may be fined for doing so, The Canadian Press reports.
Government and Consumer Services Minister Ross Romano says reselling the kits is considered a breach of government emergency orders that prohibit charging unfair prices for necessary goods.
He says the government is working to “identify, track down, and fine” businesses or individuals who break the rules.
Fines range from $750 to $100,000 for individuals, up to $500,000 for company directors and up to $10 million for corporations.
Romano says 900 “egregious” complaints about rapid test resales have been referred to police forces.
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The government has been providing rapid tests to businesses, students in publicly funded schools and for free at sites like malls and liquor stores this month ahead of the holidays.
4:40 p.m.
NHL decides against competing in Beijing due to COVID-19: ESPN
The National Hockey League will not send its players to compete in the men’s ice hockey tournament at the Beijing Olympics due to COVID-19 concerns as the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads globally, ESPN reported on Tuesday.
4:35 p.m.
‘It’s horrible’: Latest round of health restrictions leaves Quebec businesses reeling
Montreal spa owner Geneviève Émond spent the better part of Tuesday morning taking calls from customers scrapping their appointments following a new round of health-related government restrictions.
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“I’m in a state of shock,” Émond, who runs the Bota Bota floating spa that’s moored in Montreal’s Old Port, said in a telephone interview. “We have no visibility on what awaits us. I have no answers to give to my employees. It’s not easy.”
Spas, bars, casinos, theatres and gyms were among the businesses that the Quebec government ordered shut Monday in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19 over the holidays. Restaurants, which saw their capacity slashed in half last week, must now close by 10 p.m. every day.
Read our full story, by Frédéric Tomesco.
4:35 p.m.
A look at the latest COVID-19 developments in Canada
From The Canadian Press:
A look at the latest COVID-19 news in Canada and restrictions being brought in to try to stem the spread of the Omicron variant:
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— Testing centres for COVID-19 in Quebec are being overwhelmed, with long lineups to get a test and delays in results. The union representing 5,400 laboratory technicians in the province says the recent surge in demand for testing is pushing labs to their limits. Labs have been processing about 40,000 tests a day, and they hit a high of 46,830 tests on Dec. 15. Health Minister Christian Dube has asked that only people with symptoms seek a test.
— Several hospitals in Ontario have introduced stricter visitor policies. Unity Health Toronto and the University Health Network say in-patients with stays shorter than seven days will not be allowed visitors. Some hospitals will allow two designated visitors if the stay is longer than seven days and they show proof of vaccination and identification. The province is reporting 3,453 new cases and 11 deaths linked to the disease.
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— Atlantic Canada’s four premiers are urging the public to exercise caution during the holiday season. They stress the importance of following public health guidance and say gatherings should be limited to a small circle of friends and family members. Prince Edward Island has also joined Newfoundland and Labrador in announcing isolation requirements for visitors. Premier Dennis King says beginning Wednesday anyone arriving in P.E.I. will have to isolate for four days and have two negative rapid tests to leave isolation.
— Saskatchewan is not expecting to tighten public health measures for the holidays despite new projections. The projections released by the province suggest that Omicron-driven cases and hospitalizations will increase dramatically by the end of the month without stronger interventions. Chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says he will be watching the situation closely and the government’s response must be proportionate, fast and flexible.
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— Two of Canada’s largest business groups are calling on provinces to provide financial support for restaurants, retailers and small businesses grappling with renewed public health restrictions. Restaurants Canada and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business say in an open letter that new rules, coupled with widespread fears of the spiking Omicron variant, have prompted many Canadians to cancel holiday plans and shop online. However, many businesses still don’t qualify for federal government support as their operations aren’t fully locked down.
— Manitoba’s Opposition NDP is calling on the province to provide financial support to businesses that will be affected by the latest round of restrictions and additional resources to help them enforce public health orders. New restrictions limit capacity to 50 per cent for vaccinated people at gyms, movie theatres and restaurants.
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— Travel in and out of the Nunavut hamlet of Pangnirtung is being limited to essential purposes only after two cases of COVID-19 were identified. The territory’s chief public health officer, Dr. Michael Patterson, says the threat of Omicron led to the decision to tighten public health measures to limit potential spread to other communities. It’s not yet known if the cases are the Omicron variant.
— Alberta is broadening eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. Premier Jason Kenney says anyone 18 and older can book a third shot, provided their second one was more than five months ago. Kenney says vaccines are the best protection against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
4:15 p.m.
Quebec daily cases set to surpass 6,000, Radio Canada says
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3:50 p.m.
Quebec asks Canadian Red Cross for help: report
The Quebec government has reportedly asked the Canadian Red Cross for help.
Radio Canada is reporting the organization would provide specialized teams to help in institutions facing outbreaks.
3:10 p.m.
Quebec says another 758,000 rapid tests will be dispatched to pharmacies starting tomorrow
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3:10 p.m.
Swamped Kirkland and Verdun walk-in test clinics have been closed for the day
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2:55 p.m.
Photos: Montrealers had to cool their heels to get tested for COVID today
Gazette photographers Pierre Obendrauf and John Mahoney captured the scenes outside swamped Montreal testing and vaccination clinics today.
2:30 p.m.
Quebec testing centres overwhelmed by the fifth wave of COVID-19
COVID-19 testing centres in Quebec are being overwhelmed by the pandemic’s fifth wave, with long lineups to get a test and delays in results as the Omicron variant pushes daily case counts to record levels.
The union representing 5,400 laboratory technicians in the province says the recent surge in demand for testing is pushing laboratories to their limits.
“There’s a feeling of despair. Those who are young enough to change career are doing so, while those who are close to retirement leave to enjoy their health,” said Sandra Etienne, a vice-president of the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la sante et des services sociaux.
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1:35 p.m.
Quebec in talks over possible vaccination help from Canadian Armed Forces
The Quebec government has informed Ottawa of the kind of reinforcements it might need to be able to speed up the province’s vaccination process, though no formal request for the presence of the Canadian Armed Forces has yet been made.
Read our full story, by Philip Authier in Quebec City.
1:10 p.m.
Biden to send 500 million free tests, filling Omicron shortage
U.S. President Joe Biden will send 500 million free coronavirus tests to Americans’ homes beginning next month and dispatch the military to shore up overwhelmed hospitals as the U.S. confronts a resurgent pandemic.
1:10 p.m.
New Year’s Eve comes early in Quebec to beat restrictions on parties
Parties abounded in Quebec this past weekend ahead of new restrictions that came into force Monday. As COVID-19 cases soared, concern was overlooked by hundreds of party-goers attending various “end of the universe” early New Year’s Eve events.
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1:10 p.m.
Air Canada employee who fell on stairs in her home eligible for worker’s compensation: Judge
A Quebec labour judge has ruled that an Air Canada call centre employee who hurt herself going down a staircase while working from home suffered a workplace injury and merited worker’s compensation.
12:50 p.m.
Think you have COVID during the Omicron wave? Here’s what to do
From The Canadian Press:
Omicron appears to spread faster and more easily than its predecessors, even among the vaccinated.
Here’s what you need to know if you feel like you might have COVID-19 in the age of Omicron.
Of course, public health advice is changing rapidly and varies from place to place. When in doubt, call your local public health unit.
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I tested positive on a rapid test. What do I do?
The advice varies a bit based on where you live and how overwhelmed test centres are in your area.
Rapid tests are less accurate than their molecular counterparts, so best practice is to confirm the result with a test administered by your local public health unit. But even if you can’t get one, you need to protect those around you, said Cynthia Carr, founder and epidemiologist with EPI Research in Winnipeg.
“You still need to go for the gold standard PCR testing,” Carr said in an interview Monday.
“If you can’t get into a testing centre, don’t just continue as normal. Do everything else that you can to stay safe and isolated from others until you can find a testing centre for that confirmation through a PCR test.”
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In other words, if you can’t get in to get a test, consider yourself COVID-positive and isolate until a test becomes available or your isolation period has ended.
You should also consider taking another rapid test to help verify the first one, said Dr. Dalia Hasan, the founder of COVID Test Finders, a group that advocates for the availability of rapid tests.
I don’t have a rapid test, but I do have symptoms. What should I do?
Again, it depends on where you live and whether tests are available.
A study from the United Kingdom shows the most common symptoms associated with the Omicron variant are the same as the common cold: runny nose, headache, sneezing and sore throat.
“It is really hard for people to know the difference, which is why it is so important to get tested,” Carr said.
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Ideally, you should book a molecular COVID-19 test with your local public health unit. But that’s harder to do in some areas than others.
In Ottawa for example, where test centres are overwhelmed, people have been told to assume the worst until they can get in.
“If you have symptoms, you should assume you have COVID-19 and self-isolate,” Ottawa’s chief public health officer Dr. Vera Etches said in a statement Friday.
Do I need to inform anyone I have COVID-19 if I can’t get a molecular test?
If you get tested by public health, the authorities will already be aware of your positive case. If you can’t get in, you can still give them a call to let them know, said Dr. Katharine Smart, president of the Canadian Medical Association.
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You should tell your doctor.
“It’s always good for your doctor to know what’s going on so that they can advise you,” Smart said.
“The risk to the individual may vary based on their vaccination status, based on their underlying health conditions, based on people in their family. So those sort of individual decisions are best made with your health provider.”
It’s also important to get reach out to anyone you’ve recently been in close contact with so they can take precautions as well.
The sick person’s employer or school should also be in the loop.
What does it mean to isolate?
It means staying home, and staying away from other people. That includes the people you live with, Carr said.
“If you’re with other people within the household, that’s not a safe situation,” she said. Her warning applies even to vaccinated family members.
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“You might be living in a household with others who are fully vaccinated, some of whom may have had the booster as well. That is excellent in terms of safety against severe disease, but the virus can still be spread so you should still be doing everything you can to be in a separate room.”
People who are isolating should also use another bathroom, if possible, she said.
If it’s not possible to be in a separate room from the people you live with, at least try to stay two metres apart from other people and wear a mask.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said you should imagine the virus like a cloud of smoke around the infected person. The closer you are to them, the more dense the smoke, the more likely you are to be infected.
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When can I go out again?
That will depend on a few factors, like whether you’re fully vaccinated and whether you were tested by public health.
Your local public health unit should be able to offer you the best advice for your situation.
The World Health Organization’s general rule is to isolate for 10 days after the onset of symptoms or a positive rapid test, and another three days after the symptoms have cleared up.
The same goes if you’re a close contact of a COVID-19 case but have not been tested yourself.
I’m a close contact of a confirmed or suspected COVID case. Now what?
Omicron has upped the ante in terms of how concerned close contacts need to be. Even close contacts of a close contact may want to take extra precautions, Carr said.
“The more infectious a virus is, the more contacts and then contacts of contacts there will be,” she said.
Contacts of a suspected or confirmed case should get tested if at all possible.
Close contacts should isolate just as strictly as those who are suspected as having COVID-19, she said.
How do I know if I have Omicron?
Even if your COVID-19 infection has been confirmed by a molecular test, you’ll probably never know what strain of the virus you have.
The good news is, the advice for treatment and isolation are the same for everyone.
What are my options for treatment?
Asymptomatic cases caught by rapid tests don’t require treatment. Just stay isolated to make sure you don’t make someone else sick.
Mild cases can be treated the way you would treat any common cold or flu.
“Making sure you’re in touch with your health-care providers, so they can be … helping you monitor your symptoms, letting you know what to watch out for, is always a good idea,” Smart said.
People should look out for breathing issues first and foremost, she said. Gastrointestinal symptoms can also lead to dehydration, she warned.
Call 911 if you have significant difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, confusion or difficulty waking up.
For now, most treatments are only available at the hospital.
Canada has ordered oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 patients that can be taken at home to prevent severe disease, but the drugs have not yet been approved by Health Canada.
12:45 p.m.
Chart: Hospitalizations – vaccinated vs. unvaccinated
Noon
Charts: Situation in Montreal, Quebec regions
11:55 a.m.
Charts: Update on Quebec’s vaccination campaign
11:50 a.m.
Montreal declares health state of emergency; Plante says she’s feeling ‘much better’
As expected, Mayor Valérie Plante this morning declared a health state of emergency for Montreal.
Speaking to reporters via Zoom, Plante, who is in isolation after contracting COVID-19, sounded stuffed up and said she is experiencing symptoms.
She said that in declaring a state of emergency, the city aims to:
- Protect essential workers and ensure the continuity of services.
- Support the health network and community groups in supporting people experiencing homelessness.
On Aug. 23, the Montreal agglomeration, representing island municipalities, lifted the state of emergency it had declared 17 months earlier, on March 27, 2020.
A reporter asked Plante whether she would support a possible curfew in Quebec similar to the one in place from January to May.
In response, the mayor said she has not spoken to Premier François Legault about a curfew, saying the focus is on the measures being implemented in places such as bars and restaurants.
“What I hope is that if the Quebec government and public health decide to put a curfew in place, the most vulnerable population must be considered,” Plante added. “I’m talking about people living with homelessness. We have to ensure that we don’t make them even more vulnerable given their situation.”
She was also asked if she is asking key Montreal workers – police officers, firefighters, snow clearers – to not take part in family gatherings for the holidays in order to avoid a disruption in essential services.
Plante did not answer directly, instead urging all Montrealers to be prudent and carefully evaluate their plans in the context of the arrival of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
A reporter asked Plante about her health.
“As you can see, I’m a bit low energy and my voice is not entirely back,” the mayor responded.
“That being said, I feel much better. But I think I’m a good example of somebody who does everything that has to be done, respecting all the rules and just getting (hit) by the variant. And this is why I speak from experience and from my heart when I tell Montrealers to be very vigilant because it is a very, very contagious variant.”
In a statement on Facebook, Plante said:
I am announcing this morning that I am declaring a state of emergency in the Greater Montreal area.
The state of emergency is an additional tool which we have that allows us to face with greater agility this period of instability that affects vulnerable people, merchants, businesses and Montreal families.
With the experience we have accumulated, we will once again be there to ensure the safety of essential workers in the agglomeration and the entire population of Montreal.
The state of emergency will ensure the continuity of public services during the health crisis. For example, we will be able to purchase protective and screening equipment for essential workers in the agglomeration.
The state of emergency will also allow us to set up emergency shelter sites quickly, in order to support the health and social network.
We all have a duty to respect public health regulations. We must, now more than ever, all do our part to limit the spread of this virus.
11:15 a.m.
Here’s how Quebec’s current situation compares to one year ago
11:15 a.m.
Updated charts: Quebec cases, deaths
11:10 a.m.
Quebec reports record 5,043 new cases as hospitalizations hit seven-month high
Quebec has recorded 5,043 new cases of COVID-19, the provincial government announced this morning.
Hospitalizations continue to mount and are now at their highest point since March.
In addition, eight new deaths were reported.
Some other key statistics from Quebec’s latest COVID-19 update:
- Montreal Island: 1,656 cases, 2 deaths.
- Net increase in hospitalizations: 18, for total of 415 (59 entered hospital, 41 discharged).
- Net increase in intensive care patients: 6, for total of 88 (10 entered ICUs, 4 discharged).
- 73,188 vaccine doses administered over previous 24 hours.
- 42,303 tests conducted Sunday.
- Positivity rate: 10.1 per cent.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Quebec has reported 495,337 cases and 11,650 deaths linked to COVID-19.
10:35 a.m.
If you have a dog, study says, you might have lower pandemic anxiety
Dog owners appear to have been in better mental health than others since the start of the pandemic, possibly because they report being able to rely on a strong social support network, a new study suggests.
10:35 a.m.
Quebec ERs are exceeding capacity as holidays approach, COVID spikes
As Christmas looms and COVID-19 caseload numbers rise, the emergency rooms of Quebec’s hospitals find themselves facing a spike in traffic.
10:10 a.m.
Opération Nez Rouge cancels drive-home service amid surge in Quebec cases
Opération Nez rouge this morning announced that it’s cutting short its holiday drive-home service amid a surge in cases in Quebec.
“Following yesterday’s announcements by the Quebec government, Opération Nez Rouge made the difficult decision to end the drive-home campaign that was scheduled to end on Dec. 31,” the organization said.
“Although the announced health measures were deemed more than sufficient, Opération Nez Rouge is keen to support efforts to minimize contact in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
In total this season, the service provided almost 7,000 rides over 10 evenings.
Though its drivers won’t be available for Christmas and New Year’s gatherings, the non-profit organization “would like to remind the population that there are various means to prevent impaired driving – designating a driver in the early evening, calling a taxi or even a friend are all solutions that allow you to get home safely.”
After being forced to suspend its 2020 campaign because of the pandemic, Opération Nez Rouge announced in October that it would resume its drive-home service in nearly 30 areas of Quebec over the coming holiday season.
9:50 a.m.
New restrictions aim to further cut contacts between Quebecers
9:35 a.m.
Belgian researchers warn against holiday reliance on rapid antigen tests
From the Reuters news agency:
Belgian researchers on Tuesday issued a pre-holiday warning against over-reliance on COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, saying they believed the breath of people infected with the disease had high levels of virus in the first two days after an infection – a period when many antigen tests were negative.
The organizations involved said they were communicating their findings in advance of a peer-reviewed publication in the interests of public health, as many families may be planning to use antigen tests as a way of screening for illness before family gatherings.
“A negative rapid antigen test just before a meeting offers no guarantee to protect others, in particular when the person tested has recently been exposed to the virus,” said Emmanuel Andre, a microbiologist at KU Leuven, which conducted the research together with UZ Leuven, a university hospital, and IMEC, a microelectronics think-tank.
Scientists were already aware that exhaled particles are key in spreading the virus, but finding high levels of virus at the start of an infection was surprising and is a “first indication” the virus may be transmitted very early in an infection, Andre said.
“A negative antigen test should not replace self-isolation when the chance of developing the disease is high, such as during the first seven days following a high-risk contact,” he said.
In their study, researchers took 58 people who had been in close proximity with someone who was infected, and tested them regularly over a two-week period with multiple types of tests.
Of the 58, 11 later developed COVID-19. However, during the first two days of their infection, antigen tests failed to detect it half the time. PCR tests obtained by nose swabs reliably detected the disease. The aerosol tests, which are a type of PCR test that works by collecting breath and testing it on a specialized silicon chip, showed high virus levels in breath as early as the first day after an infection.
9:30 a.m.
Omicron in Quebec: Five tips to keep yourself safe
Here’s some advice for how individual Quebecers can help to slow the spread of the fast-moving Omicron variant of the virus.
9:20 a.m.
Small businesses again struggling amid capacity limits
From The Canadian Press:
Surging COVID-19 cases brought on by the spread of the Omicron variant have put a damper on the “most wonderful time of year” for small business owners, as multiple provinces reinstate tough public health restrictions.
Dan Kelly of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said that last month, the organization surveyed 4,514 small business owners and found 36 per cent were back to normal sales.
But now, with capacity limits in place, he says that “any little glimmer of hope that many businesses saw at the end of this two-year tunnel are quickly being extinguished.”
Starting today, tighter gathering and capacity rules are in place in Manitoba, where health officials said climbing cases due to Omicron were expected to exceed its resources for notifying most close contacts.
Quebec has announced earlier closing times for bars, restaurants entertainment venues and movie theatres as it reported a new single-day record of 4,571 COVID-19 infections.
Calling the situation “critical,” Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant has changed everything, as vaccines that offered 70 per cent protection against symptomatic infection from the Delta variant are believed to offer 30 per cent protection against Omicron.
Other provinces are also imposing new restrictions:
- B.C. has limited capacity to 50 per cent at venues that hold more than 1,000 people, but is extending its cap on fees charged by food delivery companies in an effort to help the restaurant industry.
- Newfoundland and Labrador, meanwhile, has limited bars to 50 per cent capacity and restaurants to 75 per cent with physical distancing. The province also sent kids home Monday as schools closed early in response to rising caseloads.
- Ontario implemented its new public health orders Sunday, which see restaurants, retailers, gyms and other indoor settings operating at 50 per cent capacity.
9:15 p.m.
MUCH updates guidelines for clinical operations
9:10 a.m.
Quebec to report record 5,000 cases today, asks Ottawa for military help: reports
Quebec will set a record today, registering at least 5,000 cases, according to multiple media reports this morning.
The province reported 4,571 cases yesterday – the highest number yet.
Yesterday, as he announced a series of tough new measures, Health Minister Christian Dubé said the government would receive new case and hospitalization projections last night.
He said more restrictions could follow, depending on what the forecasts from the Institut national de santé publique du Québec showed.
The INSPQ report has not been made public yet but Radio Canada this morning is reporting that the projections are “catastrophic.”
In other news, there are reports that Quebec has asked the federal government for help from the Canadian Armed Forces, with military personnel to be used as reinforcements in the lagging campaign to administer booster shots.
Those vaccinations are key because experts say even people doubly vaccinated are not protected enough against the new Omicron variant that is spreading quickly in the province.
9 a.m.
Quebec administered 64,000 booster doses yesterday, Dubé says
9 a.m.
Montreal could re-enact state of emergency, Valérie Plante says
With COVID-19 cases soaring to record levels, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante — who has herself contracted the virus — is not ruling out re-enacting a state of emergency.
Read our full story, by Marian Scott.
9 a.m.
Quebec brings back financial aid for businesses forced to close
The Quebec government has announced the reopening of a financial aid program for businesses that have been forced to shut down because of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
9 a.m.
Opinion: Bracing for an Omicron Christmas catastrophe
“As Christmas Day creeps closer, the COVID-19 situation in Quebec has never been worse, even compared to the second week of March 2020. Montreal became the epicentre of the pandemic in Canada when COVID-19 snuck up on us as we were all off enjoying spring break. Now the new Omicron variant has mounted a stealthy attack in the run-up to Christmas. And we’ve failed to react quickly enough.”
Read the latest column by Allison Hanes.
8:45 a.m.
The situation across Canada
Here’s the rate of case growth per 100,000 people over the past seven days, via the federal government’s latest epidemiological update .
8:45 a.m.
FAQ: Who can get their third dose in Quebec? And when?
Quebec is expanding eligibility for a third COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Here’s what you need to know about the province’s booster plan.
8:45 a.m.
A guide to Quebec’s COVID-19 vaccine passport
Quebec’s vaccine passport is mandatory for people 13 and older who want to access services and activities deemed non-essential by the provincial government, including bars, restaurants, gyms, festivals and sporting events.
Quebecers can use a smartphone app to prove their vaccination status or simply carry their QR code on paper.
The app is available from Apple’s App Store and Google Play .
We have published two guides to the passports – one looks at how to download and set up the app , and another answers key questions about the system, including how, when and why.
You can find more information on the Quebec government’s website – one page has details on how the system works, and another has a list of the places where a vaccine passport will be required .
8:45 a.m.
A guide to COVID-19 vaccinations in Quebec
Local health authorities have set up mass vaccination sites across Montreal.
You can book appointments via the Clic Santé website or by phone at 1-877-644-4545.
Quebecers can also visit walk-in AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer vaccine clinics .
Here are the nuts and bolts of getting vaccinated , by Katherine Wilton. Her guide includes the age groups targeted, how to book appointments, and addresses of vaccination centres.
8:45 a.m.
Here are the current pandemic restrictions in Montreal and Quebec
We are regularly updating our list of what services are open, closed or modified in Montreal and Quebec.
8:45 a.m.
Here’s where Montrealers can get tested today
Montrealers can be screened at test centres across the island.
For other parts of Quebec, check out this page on the Quebec government’s site .
8:30 a.m.
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