Quebec university students scored high with COVID-19 compliance: McGill study
University students in Quebec did quite well at following COVID-19 restrictions such as wearing a mask and social distancing, McGill University researchers have found.
As many as 78 per cent of students wore masks and respected the two-metre distance rule in a university library at the height of the pandemic in 2021.
This is the first study in the province using direct observation to examine compliance with pandemic-related health measures.
"We believe that these results are of great value for the general public, as they provide the first scientific feedback on the behaviour of a specific population toward COVID-19 preventive measures during a critical period of the pandemic," said Yohann Pilon, the study's lead author and Doctor of Medicine candidate at McGill University.
The students' score is just two points away from the 80 per cent threshold "suggested as necessary" to reduce the spread of COVID-19, according to the study.
Pilon's work suggests that university libraries can remain open in the event of a future COVID wave, as long as appropriate safety measures are in place.
"It may also support public health authorities and university administrators in implementing future health policies that would lead to the safe maintenance of as many in-person activities as possible if faced with another surge in COVID-19 cases," he added.
This study made a total of 2,109 observations in a Quebec university library from March 28 to April 25 last year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.