MONTREAL -- Quebec is increasing its efforts to offer COVID-19 testing to individuals showing symptoms across the province, Health Minister Danielle McCann said in a press conference Tuesday.

There are currently eight centres to analyze the tests once they’ve been taken, which McCann described as sufficient.

“We have also developed many clinics of evaluation where people go and have the test, so now we’re going to be able to improve the capacity, so this will be responding to the need of the population,” McCann said.

At these clinics, symptoms are evaluated and testing isn’t required when they stray from those associated to the virus.

When it comes to protective equipment for medical professionals, there is no shortage, as the province has been working with the federal government to ensure stock is replenished as needed.

McCann said there are 18,000 hospitalization beds and 1,000 intensive care beds across the province. They intend to free around 6,000 hospital beds as an added measure, in addition to providing 3,000 more outside of hospitals. These beds will be staffed by medical professionals.

“We have to remember that the large majority of people who are going to have the COVID-19 will have mild symptoms; won’t require hospitalization,” McCann said. “But we have made models with the public health department, following what’s going on in the other countries, and we have the scenarios. We know we’re going to be able to give the care, hospitalizations, or intensive care.”

PHONE LINES

McCann said the government is working on increasing the efficiency of COVID-19 phone lines. Their plan is to have nurses in testing clinics answering calls to the new number (1 877 644-4545). This number, which was created to offset the high volume of calls to 811, still redirects back to the old one when a caller needs to be referred to a clinic.

“That’s what we’re developing right now, at this hour, so that we can give more services and that people have more access to those clinics…,” McCann said. “…I’m hoping to tell you tomorrow that it’s confirmed.”