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
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.