Quebec introduces new measures in hopes of slowing Omicron spread
Posted December 14, 2021 2:33 pm.
Last Updated December 14, 2021 7:05 pm.
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube says the spread of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus in the province may be underestimated.
Dube says all positive COVID-19 tests beginning Tuesday will be screened for the new variant.
“There has been a significant increase in cases in the past few weeks,” Dube told reporters in Montreal. “Hospitalizations have also started to rise.
“For the moment, we still have a limited number of Omicron cases in Quebec.”
Quebec’s public health institute said Tuesday it has confirmed 11 cases of the Omicron variant in the province and identified 11 more suspected cases.
Daniel Pare, the head of Quebec’s vaccination campaign, told a news conference the province will add more vaccinators over the next few weeks as it looks to increase the pace of booster shots.
Pare says Quebec is currently able to administer 300,000 doses of vaccine a week and he wants to double that in January.
“We have to finish the job,” Pare said.
Quebec will also make rapid COVID-19 tests available to the entire population. Pare said all Quebec residents will be able to receive five self-tests a month for free.
“The more (rapid tests) the federal government sends us, the more we can offer to Quebecers,” said Dube.
Quebec is also calling on employers to return to favouring working from home because of the number of COVID-19 cases in the province and rising hospitalizations. Dube says 30 per cent of dedicated COVID-19 beds in the province’s hospitals are currently occupied.
