COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Friday

• Quebec reported 3,768new cases ofCOVID-19 on Friday and seven new deaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 478,246confirmed cases and 11,634people have died.
• There are 312people in hospital (an increase of seven),including 62in intensive care (adecreaseof 1).
• The province has administered 14,194,764doses of theCOVID-19 vaccine, including 56,097in the last 24 hours.
• 88 per cent of the eligible population in the province (ages five and up) hasreceived one dose of vaccine, and 81per cent hasreceived two doses.

Quebec'sHealth Ministry does not publish the number of vaccines administered on weekends and public holidays.

Quebecreported Friday its highest daily COVID-19 case count since the pandemic began.

The province announced 3,768 cases on Friday, the most ever reported in a single day. The previous record was on Jan. 9, when Quebec reported 3,127.

Deaths and hospitalizations still remain comparatively low compared to Jan. 9, when 41 deaths were declared with another 1,392 were in hospital.

Montreal's Sainte-Justine's hospital reporteda baby under two months of age has diedof complications from COVID-19. The hospital released few details other than to say the baby was in good health at birthand died yesterday after a stay in the intensive care unit.

According to data released Thursday by Quebec's public health research institute, the INSPQ, there are currently309 presumed cases of the Omicron variant in the province.

The milestone comes as the Quebec government tightens measures ahead of the holiday season.

New measures to curb Omicron

New measures to combat COVID-19 will be coming into effect Monday,as Quebecers prepare for the holidays and cases soar across the province.

Premier Franois Legaultannounced thenew measures Thursday evening at a news conference.

"In this fight that we are waging, it's not enough to just get vaccinated," Legault said.

The new measures walk back previous announcements made by the government ahead of the holidays. The government had previously announced that 20 people could gather together indoors. Legault said they will be reducing that limit to 10.

The measures also include reduced capacity in certain public spaces like restaurants and places of worship, and a delayed return to school for high school students in the province. A full listcan be found here.

New measures coming in Quebec to combat Omicron variant

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Quebec Premier Franois Legault announced a number of measures to take effect on Monday in order to limit the Omicron variant from spreading.

The measures aim tocurb hospitalizations in the New Year.According to the latest projections from the provincial government health-care research institute, known by its french acronym INESSS,as many as 700 Quebecers could be in hospital due to the virus by early January, with about 160 of them in intensive care.

To that end, Legault is not ruling out further restrictions. Asked if the province will reinstate the curfew, he said officials believe the current rules will be enough, but next week may be different.

"We may have to adjust our measures," said Legault.

The Palais des Congrswalk-in vaccination site will remain open until Dec. 31. More information on the site's plans will comenext week.

Rapid tests coming Monday

Legault said, as of Monday, rapid tests will be available in pharmacies. However, people should be staying home if they have symptoms and getting officially tested.

Changing booster shot age limits

As of Monday, people 65 and over will be able to make an appointment for a booster shot, Health Minister Christian Dub said. People with certain health conditions aged 60 and up will also be eligible.

The Monday after that, all people 60 and up will be able to make an appointment. From there, the aim is to begin offering the rest of the population booster shots in the new year.

Though some experts say it makes sense to prioritize those with a longer delay between their second dose and the booster, Quebec is lagging behind other provinces.

"We're ahead of everybody in terms of [infection] rates and behind everybody in terms of eligibility for third doses," saidDr. Don Vinh, an infectious disease specialist and medical microbiologist at McGill University Health Centre.

"It's almost like the government's trying to make the situation worse by doing the opposite of what every other province is starting to realize is common sense."

The government is using an "outdated" strategythat was used when the province had a shortage of vaccines, which Vinh says is no longer the case.

Two doses of the vaccine still provide important protection against hospitalization, but not necessarily against infection in the face of the new Omicron variant. Three doses are necessary to keep infection at bay, saysBenoit Barbeau, a professor of biological science at Universit du Qubec Montral.

Eastern Townships also see record case numbers

The Eastern Townships reported 396new cases today, the highest daily total since the beginning of the pandemic, and there are currently 71 outbreaks and 1,822 active cases in the region.

The Massey-Vanier regional high school in Cowansville isshut down after at least one case of the Omicron variant was detected among its students.

Regional public health authoritieswarned people in the Townships today about the increasing pressure on Sherbrooke's Htel-Dieu and Fleurimont hospitals, the two main facilities for COVID-19 patients.

There are currently 35 people in hospital due to the virus, including four in intensive care, and authorities say non-urgent surgeries may have to be delayed to free up personnel and make room for rising hospitalizations.

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