COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Friday
CBC
The new cases represent those reported to the Quebec government only. They are believed to be an underrepresentation of the virus's spread, given the limited availability of PCR tests and use of home testing kits.
Quebecers 45 and older can now make an appointment for their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Quebec government announced a new timeline for third dose appointments Thursday, in a bid to get more Quebecers vaccinated and stem rising hospitalizations.
The province said that soon, three doses will be the standard for being considered fully vaccinated. The vaccination passport system will all be updated to need three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to access certain services.
Health Minister Christian Dubé did not provide an exact date for the change, only saying it would be made once all Quebecers have been given the chance to get a third dose.
Up to 80 per cent of surgeries in hospitals under high alert could be postponed to ensure the most urgent surgeries can go ahead, according to a memo sent by the province on Thursday to hospitals that was obtained by Radio-Canada.
Hospitals are at the maximum alert level in the Eastern Townships, Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, meaning they have the green light to delay surgeries to free up staff and reassign them to the care of COVID-19 patients.
Hospitals in regions including Lanaudière, the Laurentians, the Montérégie-Centre and Montérégie-Ouest could be under the same measures within the next few days, said Dr. Lucie Opatrny, Quebec's associate deputy health minister on Thursday.
According to the province's health-care research institute, there could be more than 3,400 Quebecers in hospital with COVID-19 in two weeks.
The institute, known by its French acronym, INESSS, released its latest projections on Thursday.
At least 3,000 of those projected hospitalizations would be for regular beds, INESSS said in a statement, and at least 400 would be patients in the intensive care unit.
Quebec reported 1,953 people in hospital, including 207 in intensive care, as of Thursday.
Under the alert hospitals will be able to close their emergency rooms if needed, as long as there is another within close proximity.
Those giving birth may also be moved to larger hospital centres if needed.