Quebec's January COVID-19 death toll caused by delay in booster shots: experts
January isn't over yet, but with 1,144 deaths due to COVID-19 so far in Quebec, it is already considered the fifth deadliest month since the pandemic began.
Two health experts say the high number of deaths is due, in part, to the slow pace of Quebec's campaign to provide booster doses to people aged 70 and older living outside institutional care.
"I feel there are a considerable number of deaths and hospitalizations that could have been avoided if we had given the third dose earlier," said Dr. Quoc Dinh Nguyen, a gerontologist at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal.
As of Jan. 21, about 87 per cent of COVID-19-related deaths in the previous 28 days were among people 70 years and older.
Unlike previous waves, most of those who died were living at home rather than in long-term care homes or private seniors' residences.
In addition, of those 70 years and older who died in the current wave, 22 per cent were unvaccinated, but 34.7 per cent had received a third dose of vaccine more than seven days prior.
The Quebec Health Ministry reports 76 per cent of Quebecers aged 60 and older have received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 94 per cent have received two.
Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious diseases specialist at the McGill University Health Centre, points out this month's statistics -- fewer deaths in long-term care facilities, but more in the community -- are a result of the delay in administering the third dose in Quebec.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 26, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.