CODE RED: Many Regions In Quebec Go Into COVID-19 Lockdown

The lockdown will be in place for 28 days and then will be reassessed by government

All provinces across Canada are now having to face the reality that the coronavirus has now hit its second wave. Today Ontario and Quebec both announced they have each reported over seven hundred new cases within a day. These numbers are staggering and are in line with those of the beginning of the pandemic.

Quebec will now be the first province to re-escalate the pandemic threat level back to RED. At the red level, temporary measures are in place to slow down the transmission of the virus.

The additional measures specific to the red level apply from 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, October 1 ^until October 28 inclusively. Among these measures, it should be noted in particular that:

• Only residents of the same address can assemble. Gatherings in private homes will otherwise be prohibited.
  • Exceptions for caregivers, children in shared custody, people offering a service or support or people doing construction work already planned.
• Group activities organized in an indoor public place will be prohibited. Outside, a physical distance of 2 meters remains the norm.
  • In demonstrations, wearing a mask will be compulsory.
• Places hosting an audience (performance halls, cinemas, theaters, libraries, museums) will be closed.
  • Exception allowed for places of worship and for funerals, but accommodating a maximum of 25 people.
• Bars, brasseries, taverns and casinos will be closed as well as restaurant dining rooms (only delivery and take out orders will be allowed).
• Non-essential travel to a green, yellow or orange region and outside of Quebec will not be recommended.
• In living environments for the elderly and vulnerable, only the visits necessary for humanitarian purposes and those of family caregivers providing significant help to a user are authorized (one person at a time, and a maximum of two people per day in a CHSLD ).
• Professional and health services in private practice will remain open only for services requiring to be in person.
• Shops and businesses remain open. Physical distancing of 2 meters and wearing a mask are mandatory in shops.
• Personal and aesthetic care is maintained according to current health standards.

“These are not easy decisions to make. We are doing it to better protect seniors, so that children can continue to go to school, to ensure that our health system is able to provide the necessary care and services and to preserve life. economy of our society. Everyone must collaborate and reduce their social contacts in the coming weeks. We are not going back to a lockdown like the one we experienced last spring: we are instead targeting places or activities that represent too great a risk at the moment. “ François Legault, Premier of Quebec

In regions that are moving to the red level, there is a marked acceleration in the number of cases and community transmission. More than ever, people are being asked to make a special effort by limiting their activities and interactions in order to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

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