COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know on Wednesday

• Quebec reported 308new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesdayand four moredeaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been368,463 confirmed cases and11,105people have died.
• There are399 people in hospital (adecrease of 16), including101in intensive care (the same amount as the last 24 hours).
• 58,764more vaccine doses have been administered, for atotal of 5,111,646sinceDec. 14.

Montreal's public health director is encouraging the public to follow the guidelines for a little while longer, after it was announced the city would maintain tighter restrictions for at least another week.

Dr. Mylne Drouin said the situation has improved the city recorded fewer than 100 cases on Wednesday but she wants to see what happens in the coming days, following the long weekend.

Drouin said outbreaks in workplaces and school settings are on the decline, but there has been a slight uptick in cases in community settings including nine in parks.

Curfew lifted Friday

The Quebec government announced Tuesday it will move ahead with itsreopening plan.

Changes on Friday include:

• Curfew will be lifted across the province.
• Eating on patios and decks outside of restaurants will be allowed.
• Outdoorgatherings of up to eight people on private property will be permitted.
• Travel between regions of Quebec will be permitted.
• Up to 2,500 people in a large theatre or arena will be allowed with assigned seating and measures in place.

The next part of the plan is to downgrade the province's red zones to orange zones. That change includes bringinghigh school students in Grades 9, 10 and 11 back into classroomsfull time and reopening gyms and restaurant dining rooms.

For much of the province, that is happening next Monday, May 31. However,Montreal, Laval, as well parts ofChaudire-Appalaches, the Lower Saint-Lawrence and the Eastern Townships will have to wait until next month.

Premier Franois Legault said he wants them to be downgraded on June 7.

Second dose will be moved up

Quebecers will be able to move up their second appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week.

Health Minister Christian Dub said details are still being worked out regarding how changes will be made through the online booking systemClic Sant.

Those details will be announced Thursday.

How Canada's vaccines get from the factory to your arm

3 years ago

Duration 3:55

Behind the scenes, there's a complicated system that ensures vaccines leaving a foreign factory are safely administered here.

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