Quebec's 10 p.m. curfew will be lifted on Monday
Quebec's 10 p.m. curfew will no longer be in effect as of Monday, Jan. 17. as officials predict the province's explosive Omicron is coming to its peak. The premier also said he hopes that restaurants and other venues will be able to open in the coming weeks.
"Experts tell us that the new cases have peaked," Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced during a Thursday press conference on the reopening of schools, joined by Health Minister Christian Dube, Interim Public Health Director Dr. Luc Boileau, and Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge.
"This means the measures we have put in place have worked."
The Legault government announced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew one day before New Year’s Eve, catching many off guard just before the holiday.
The province also shut down bars, gyms, and indoor dining in restaurants as part of a suite of new measures in response to skyrocketing hospitalizations during the pandemic’s fifth wave. Those measures have not been lifted.
The province did announce some measures would be lifted, such as the closure of non-essential stores on Sundays, which will come to an end in time for Jan. 23. Non-essential stores will still be closed this Sunday as planned.
More stores, however, will be required to enforce the vaccine passport, the premier said. Businesses with more than 1,500 square metres will be subject to the vaccine passport as of Jan 24. The new measure will not apply to pharmacies and grocery stores.
"About 10 days ago, there was an exponential increase of infection,” said Legault, facing questions on the government’s handling of the pandemic.
“We set up exceptional measures, and 10 days later, we have better control of infections, and the increase has stabilized.”
Dr. Luc Boileau, interim Quebec Director of Public Health revolves his mask as he arrives at a news conference in Montreal, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Dr. Luc Boileau, interim Quebec Director of Public Health removes his mask as he arrives at a news conference in Montreal, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Daily case loads have been largely opaque following new measures restricting PCR tests to select, high-risk groups earlier in January.
Positivity rates, however, have slowed considerably. On Thursday, the province's positivity rate was just shy of 16 per cent, about half of what was recorded just a week prior, when the rate was over 30 per cent.
However, hospitalizations have grown considerably through Quebec's explosive Omicron wave, and the worst is likely yet to come, the premier said.
"We have to remain very careful. The number of hospitalization is still very high, and will maybe continue to increase for the next few days," he said, predicting hospitals may see their highest rates of admission this weekend.
Officials continued to encourage Quebecers to be vaccinated. Even as Omicron infections spread rapidly among those vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, it still provides good protection against serious infection.
“Vaccination is continuing," said Legault. "It is the key in order to be able to live with the virus."
As of Thursday's public health update, people who get infected with COVID-19 are 6.9 times more likely to end up in hospital if they aren't vaccinated.
While unvaccinated people make up about 13 per cent of the population, they account for 28 per cent of those in hospital and 45 per cent of those in the ICU.
Legault admitted that Ontario’s third-dose vaccination rollout, allowing all adults to get vaccinated all at once rather than one age-group at a time, was better than Quebec’s, which is presently lagging behind in booster rates.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t win,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
A renewed Russian offensive on Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine forces some 1,700 civilians to flee
Russian forces began a renewed ground assault in Ukraine's northeast, killing and injuring several people and forcing more than 1,700 civilians to evacuate from the Kharkiv region, officials said Saturday.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.