MONTREAL -- Doctors are expressing concern over the next phase of Quebec's re-opening, as groups of up to 250 people will be allowed go gather indoors as of Monday.
The regulation will see Montrealers heading back to venues that have been largely empty, if not off-limits, for months: movie theatres, concert halls and more.
A petition created by Montreal orthopedic surgeon David Zukor has amassed thousands of signatures calling on the government to delay the plan.
“I believe this and my colleagues, the hundreds and hundreds of doctors who have signed this petition and other health care professionals as well, seem to agree: we are going too fast, too soon,” said Zukor.
However, some owners of businesses that have struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic said they have taken proper precautions to expand their operations safely.
“We disinfect after every showing, every single auditorium. It's an extra step that we wouldn't do pre-COVID. In fact, I would tell you you're probably safer today in the threatre than you were pre-COVID,” said Cinema Guzzo owner Vincenzo Guzzo.
Zukor said he started the petition because he felt someone had to.
“I said to myself 'If in three or four weeks from now we end up back in the same situation that we were in before, I'll kick myself that I didn't try to do anything to change it,'” he said.
