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

• On Thursday, Quebec reported2,994people in hospital (an increase of 117from the previous day), including 272in intensive care (an increase of nine).
• The province reported 8,793new cases of COVID-19 and 45 new deaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic,there have been775,720confirmed cases and 12,125people have died.
• On Thursday, the province also reported a total of16,080,391doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered, including 111,395in the last 24 hours.
• 90 per cent of the eligible population in the province (ages five and up) has received one dose of the vaccine, 82 per cent have received two doses, and 28per cent have received three doses.

The new cases represent those reported to the Quebec government only. They are believed to be an underrepresentation of the virus's spread, given the limited availability of PCR tests and use of home testing kits.

Premier Franois Legault has announcedan end to the overnight curfew, starting Monday the same day elementary and high school students head back to school. Here's what you need to know.

Legaultmade that announcement at a news conference Thursday afternoon, alongsideHealth Minister Christian Dub, Education Minister Jean-Franois Roberge and interim public health director Dr. Luc Boileau.

The vaccination passport will be extended to mostlarger stores, with the exception ofgrocery stores andpharmacies, Legault announced. Grocery stores and some non-essential stores, closed Sundays since the start of the year, will be allowed to open Sundaysagain as of Jan. 23.

WATCH | Franois Legault explains why he brought in, and then dropped, the curfew:

Ending the curfew has nothing to do with politics, popularity, or polls, Quebec's premier said Thursday

3 years ago

Duration 2:28

Franois Legault says ending Quebec's curfew on Monday has nothing to do with his government's waning popularity, while Health Minister Christian Dub warns the province must reopen gradually and carefully.

Data shows peak could be coming soon

Hospitalizations in the greater Montreal area are expected to peak in the coming week, according to projections from the province's public health research institute.

INSPQ data published today shows hospitalizations and the number of COVID-19 related deaths will likely drop soon, depending on the length of patients' hospital staysand the lag time between reported infections and deaths.

"Given the very high community transmission, the situation remains fragile even if a slowdown in the number of cases and hospitalizations could occur soon," Marc Brisson, one of the researchers behind the projections, said.

Projections are based on different scenarios taking into account the severity of Omicron, the vaccination rate, the population's adherence to public health measures and the impact of resuming in-person classes.

Back to school

In a social media post last night, Legault confirmedCEGEPsand universities can also return to in-person classes, although they will have some leeway to adjust.

He says the government will also make rapid tests available in schools.

Students will have to wear masks at all times, except while eating.

Nearly60 per centofelementary students have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 89 per cent of high school students have received two doses.

Quebecers who got COVID-19 urged to get booster shots

Quebecers who have recently contracted COVID-19 will be able to get theirthird dose as soon as they are symptom-free, the government announced Wednesday as long as it's been three months since their last dose.

The province said anyone who wishes to get a booster shot, including those who recently had COVID-19, shouldget one "as soon as possible" to have better protection against the Omicron variant.

The government announced last weekthat once the entire eligible population has had the opportunity to receive their booster dose, three doses of a COVID-19 vaccinewill berequired to use the province'svaccination passport system.

Currently, two doses are sufficient to be considered adequately vaccinated.

Meanwhile, experts say there's no critical timeline to receive the third dose post infection.

"A month is a reasonable time to wait, but if you go a little bit earlier, a little bit later,it won't make a large difference in the immune response," said McMaster Universityimmunologist Dawn Bowdish.

As of of today, people 25 andoldercan register for their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on the province'sClic Sant website. All Quebecers 18 and over will be able to do so tomorrow.

Questions raised about Quebec's plan for a tax

Community advocates and experts say the government should try vaccination incentives, ratherthan a health tax, to avoid entrenching inequities among marginalized groups.

PremierFranois Legaultannounced Tuesday thatunvaccinated Quebecerswho don't have a medical exemption will have to pay a "significant" health tax if they don't get vaccinated soon.

Roughly 10 per cent of eligibleQuebecers remain unvaccinated, but health officials say they take up about 50 per cent of COVID-19 beds in hospitals.Several regional health boards have had to cancel up to 80 per cent of non-urgent and semi-urgent surgeries to free up staff to help with COVID-19 infections.

Legault did not say when the tax would take effect or how much it would cost, but he did say he wanted it to be "significant"enough to act as an incentive to get vaccinated more than $50 or $100, he added.

He said the contribution could be included in people's provincial tax filings, but he did not say whether it would be in those for 2021, which are to be filed by April 30, 2022.

Top COVID-19 stories

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• Experts warn outbreaks in Quebec's long-term care homes could get worse before they improve
• Quebec's new restrictions have been met with mixed reactions
• Quebec sees recordnumber of kids in hospital with COVID-19
• Here's how Quebec plans to keep some COVID-infected, exposed essential workers on the job
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