COVID-19 updates, Dec. 13: As cases mount, Legault stands by holiday gathering guidelines – Montreal Gazette

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Updated throughout the day on Monday, Dec. 13. Questions/comments: kthomas@postmedia.com

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Top updates:

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4:45 p.m.

Omicron variant now in 60 nations

The World Health Organization said Omicron — reported in more than 60 countries — poses a “very high” global risk, with some evidence that it evades vaccine protection but clinical data on its severity is limited.

Considerable uncertainties surround Omicron, first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong, whose mutations may lead to higher transmissibility and more cases of COVID-19 disease, the WHO said in a technical brief issued on Sunday.

Read more here .

4:30 p.m.

Some Canadian universities cancel in-person exams after rise in COVID-19 cases

From The Canadian Press:

Some universities are adjusting their plans for end-of-semester exams in response to the rise in COVID-19 cases.

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The University of Victoria in British Columbia will not be holding any further in-person exams this month. The school said its instructors have been asked to offer alternative exams online or in another format.

Queen’s University in eastern Ontario has also postponed in-person exams due to rising COVID-19 case counts in the community. Exams will be changed to an “alternative delivery format” if possible, and those that must be done in person will be postponed until the new year.

Read more here .

2:30 p.m.

Public health confirms community transmission of Omicron variant in Canada

From La Presse canadienne: 

The Omicron variant is spreading at breakneck speed and there are indications of community transmission across the country, according to chief administrators of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

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On Monday, Ontario’s COVID-19 expert panel revealed that the Omicron variant now accounts for 21 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the province. This is a staggering increase, as public health officials counted just 87 cases of the Omicron variant in Canada days ago.

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, does not think Ontario is an isolated case.

In a virtual press conference on Monday, Tam said transmission may be weaker in other provinces, but “it’s a matter of time” before they follow in the footsteps of Ontario. She predicts that “in the next few days, we will have a lot more cases.”

Last week, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) detected just one Omicron case in Quebec.

However, there are now several cases of Omicron in the city of Montreal that have no connection with trips abroad, which indicates that there is community transmission in Quebec, said deputy chief public health officer at the Public Health Agency of Canada, Dr. Howard Njoo.

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He once again called on the provinces and territories to limit their gatherings for the holiday season.

2:30 p.m.

Kingston, Ont., area issues new COVID-19 restrictions; limits gatherings to five

From The Canadian Press: 

An eastern Ontario city is limiting gatherings to a maximum of five people in response to the spread of the Omicron variant.

The medical officer of health for the Kingston, Ont., area says the new restriction is effective tonight at 6 p.m. through to Dec. 20.

Dr. Piotr Oglaza is also placing new restrictions on restaurants – they must be closed to indoor dining between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., not sell or serve alcohol after 9 p.m., ensure all patrons are seated when served, seat no more than four people at a table, and not allow dancing, singing or live music.

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Oglaza says cases are increasing at a concerning rate and more must be done to protect the community.

Community spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the region, which is seeing its highest collective case count during the pandemic.

The Kingston Health Sciences Centre says it has the highest number of intensive care COVID-19 patients in the province.

2 p.m.

Legault stands by holiday gathering guidelines

Premier François Legault, Health Minister Christian Dubé and public health director Dr. Horacio Arruda will be meeting tonight to discuss the state of the pandemic in the province, Legault told reporters on Monday.

The group is meeting to discuss projections and public health measures amid a rise in daily case numbers and the presence of the Omicron variant ahead of the holidays. Dubé will provide an update to Quebecers on Tuesday.

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“There’s no reason for the moment to think that the variant is more dangerous than Delta or than other variants but it remains that we’re varying between 1,500 and 2,000 cases per day so we must remain vigilant,” Legault said.

Hospitalizations are still relatively low in the province compared to the U.S. and Europe, he added.

“But we have to be prudent” given the explosion of Omicron variant cases in Ontario.

“What’s happening with the Omicron variant in Ontario, we can think that it come here so, we can’t take this lightly and we’re following it every day,” he said.

Asked at which point hospitalizations would become a concern, Legault said it depends.

“We have to look at context,” he said. “It will depend on what projections are for the next few weeks.”

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“There will be an increase in hospitalizations, but to what extent? That’s what the experts will tell us tonight.”

He said for the moment public health does not intend to change guidelines around holiday gatherings, which permit up to 20 people to assemble.

“We will continue to talk to public health and to follow the situation,” he said. “But for many reasons we think it’s important to keep that limit of 20 so that families can gather during the holidays.”

1 p.m.

Ottawa extends exemption for Canadian travellers stranded in South Africa

From The Canadian Press: 

The federal government is extending, and slightly expanding, a travel exemption for Canadians trying to return home from South Africa.

Earlier this month, the government lifted a requirement for Canadian travellers from South Africa to have a negative COVID-19 molecular test result in a third country before coming to Canada.

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An update on the federal government’s website says the exemption will remain in place until at least Jan. 7.

In addition, beginning Tuesday, the exemption will apply to eligible travellers on all indirect flights departing South Africa to Canada, regardless of the airline.

Under the exemption the flight to Canada must depart within 18 hours of the traveller’s arrival in the country of transit.

Prior to this exemption, Canadians travelling from one of 10 African countries, including South Africa, were required to obtain a COVID-19 test in the country they were leaving, as well as a second test while in transit in a third country before arriving in Canada.

12 p.m.

Tam presents annual public health report

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam, presented her annual report on public health Monday.

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“Our public health system has been stretched dangerously thin and it is in need of critical enforcements,” she said.

Tam identified four main priorities in a news conference presenting her report at noon.

The first priority is to renew and reinvigorate Canada’s public health workforce, after the pandemic exhausted health-care workers across the country. The goal is to recruit and retain a diverse workforce that represents the communities it serves.

The second is to update the public health “tool box,” Tam said. Canada has a lack of data on race, ethnic origin, and between provinces and territories. A pan-Canadian health registry is underway between levels of government, but she said it needs to be accelerated in order to allow timely decision-making.

Canada also needs to modernize governance and collaboration, because complex health challenges require working across jurisdictions, communities, industries and borders, she said.

Lastly, Canada will need investments into public health. They tend to be scaled back after public health emergencies, Tam explained.

Hear Tam answer reporters’ questions below.

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12 p.m.

U.K. records first death from Omicron variant

Omicron variant cases of COVID-19 are sweeping through Britain, causing ministers to sound the alarm on rapid transmission rates, CNN is reporting.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday confirmed the country’s first death from the variant.

In response to the cases, the U.K. has increased its COVID alert level and is accelerating the roll out of boosters.

Read more from CNN here .

11 a.m.

Quebec reports 1,628 new cases, 3 deaths

Quebec reported another 1,628 cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the province since the start of the pandemic to 467,609. Of them, 14,251 are active.

At 1,683, the seven-day rolling average for new cases is at its highest point since January.

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The province also reported another three deaths Monday, bringing that total to 11,611.

Hospitalizations increased by six from Sunday to Monday and there are now 268 people receiving treatment for COVID-19 across the province, after 30 more patients were admitted and 24 were discharged. There are 73 people in intensive care, an increase of five from Sunday’s total after 10 new patients were admitted and five were discharged.

Quebec reported that it analyzed 34,408 COVID-19 samples on Saturday (Quebec reports its daily testing figures from two days prior).

The positivity rate in the province currently stands at 4.9 per cent.

Another 25,629 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered since the province’s last update, including 24,009 in the past 24 hours and 1,620 before Sunday.

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10:45 a.m.

Traveller confusion reigns amid shifting advice and variants

From The Canadian Press:

Confusion is now the defining state for many Canadians considering travel this month amid shifting advice, COVID-19 variants and layers of testing and quarantine rules.

The prospect of flying abroad is “incredibly confusing” as passengers remain uncertain about whether they will be tested at airports upon return or forced to quarantine — on top of the gamut of measures in other countries — said Marty Firestone, president of Toronto-based insurer Travel Secure.

“What do I need to get into that country? What do I need to get in this country? What do I need to get back into my own country?” he asked, paraphrasing client questions.

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Many are now rerouting trips or cancelling altogether out of exasperation, Firestone said.

“We’re just in a disarray, there’s no other simple way to put it.”

COVID-19 testing is one area where uncertainty abounds.

The federal government has said all passengers entering Canada, except those from the United States, need to be tested on arrival and isolate until they get their results. (Those coming from 10 African countries face further restrictions following initial detection of the Omicron variant in South Africa, despite its prevalence in more than 50 countries.)

Read more here .

10:45 a.m.

Lakeshore General Hospital declares COVID-19 outbreak

Public health authorities declared on Saturday a COVID-19 outbreak at the Lakeshore General Hospital after a handful of staff and patients tested positive.

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According to the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, the regional health authority that oversees the hospital, all those who have been infected are fully vaccinated.

Read our full story here .

10:30 a.m.

Armed with a room camera at a CHSLD, distrust grew

The promises made in long-term care centres, both public and private, are abundant: access to around-the-clock care, assistance with everyday life — in some cases tailored to residents’ individual needs.

But over the years in Quebec, stories contradicting those promises — sometimes significantly, sometimes in less overt ways — have emerged and intensified under the strain of the pandemic.

In the summer of 2020, John St. Godard began noticing staff at CHSLD Château Westmount intentionally blocking the camera he had installed in his husband’s room.

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Read our full story here .

10:30 a.m.

Omicron is a wake-up call for COVID-19 vaccine developers, experts say

From Reuters: 

The arrival of the highly mutated Omicron variant is a wake-up call to develop vaccines less susceptible to the rapid changes of the coronavirus, leading virologists and immunologists say.

Most first-generation COVID-19 vaccines target the spike protein on the outer surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus used to infect human cells. Omicron has prompted alarm among scientists because it has far more mutations than earlier variants, including more than 30 on its spike.

Research to determine the extent to which Omicron evades immunity from existing vaccines or prior infection is underway. New data on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine show some degree of reduced protection with the two-shot regimen.

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Read the full story here .

10:15 a.m.

40% of Canadians know unvaccinated people and don’t discuss the issue: poll

A recent poll suggests about 40 per cent of Canadians have a family member or friend who hasn’t been vaccinated against COVID-19, and most — 70 per cent — don’t raise the issue.

Half of those say they have given up trying to persuade the friends and family members to get the shots.

The survey, conducted by Leger and commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies, shows that 35 per cent of respondents say it’s “not an issue” and that they get along well with those who are unvaccinated.

Read the full story here .

10 a.m.

U.S. COVID-19 deaths reach 800,000 as Delta ravaged in 2021

From Reuters: 

The United States on Sunday reached 800,000 coronavirus-related deaths, according to a Reuters tally, as the nation braces for a potential surge in infections due to more time spent indoors during colder weather and the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus.

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The milestone means the U.S. death toll from this one virus now exceeds the entire population of North Dakota.

Even with vaccines widely and freely available, the country has lost more lives to the virus this year than in 2020 due to the more contagious Delta variant and people refusing to get inoculated against COVID-19.

Read the full story here .

10 a.m.

COVID-19: ‘Just no doubt’ Omicron will take over in Quebec

Montreal epidemiologists are warning that with the Omicron variant set to become dominant in Europe, COVID-19 cases on the rise in Quebec, and Christmas around the corner, now is no time to let down our guard.

Quebec has been reporting the highest daily case numbers it has seen in nearly a year, hospitalizations are on the rise, and active cases have doubled over the past three weeks.

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“I think we would be foolish and naive to think that an increase in community cases won’t affect the population as a whole,” said Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist at the McGill University Health Centre. “I think we have to err on the side of caution and be concerned.”

Read our full story, by Marian Scott .

9:45 a.m.

Delean: Tax deductions for COVID-19 tests treated differently by Quebec and Canada

The tax treatment of COVID-19 tests and ownership of joint bank accounts were among the topics raised recently by readers.

Here’s a Q&A of what they wanted to know, by Paul Delean .

9:45 a.m.

Canada has vaccinated more than 725,000 kids under 12 so far. Will it be enough to stop another COVID wave?

Two weeks into the rollout of COVID shots for children in Canada, those leading vaccine efforts say it’s been a heartening start.

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More than 725,000 children between 5 and 11 have received a first dose so far.

The vaccination rate varies across the provinces, as was initially seen when the shot was made available to adults, with 34 per cent of eligible children vaccinated in Quebec as of Thursday compared with 19 per cent in Alberta.

But it’s too soon to know if demand will continue and will reach the goals some provinces have set for themselves, namely of having half of eligible children vaccinated by the end of the month.

Read more here .

9:30 a.m.

Ontarians report problems with vax booking site as 50+ become eligible for boosters

From The Canadian Press: 

Ontario’s portal for booking COVID-19 vaccines appeared to crash Monday morning as residents 50 and older who received their second shot at least six months ago became eligible for booster doses.

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The provincial vaccine booking platform opened for appointments at 8 a.m., but shortly afterwards showed a message to try again later.

Social media users reported a number of problems on Twitter and expressed frustration with the province’s online booking system.

“I waited in line for 30 minutes to get on and after entering in my info, I get a ‘Service unavailable’ message,” one person wrote.

“Giving up after an hour of trying, and crashes, and re-entering info; I have to do some actual work today. Will try later this week, or after the holidays,” another said.

Some, however, reported successfully booking a third dose after several attempts or waiting more than 30 minutes.

The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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People can also book shots by phone, through local public health units using their own booking systems and at some pharmacies and primary care clinics.

Booster eligibility is set to open up to all adults on Jan. 4 but the province’s top doctor has said the schedule could move faster if capacity allows.

The expanded eligibility comes as Ontario’s panel of expert advisers on COVID-19 said that the Omicron variant — first detected in the province in late November — now accounts for 21 per cent of Ontario’s COVID-19 cases.

Cases of Omicron are doubling every three days, the group said.

“The current surge is mostly Delta, but it’s hitting us just as we need to be ramping up for Omicron — and it’s a sign of how vulnerable an un/undervaccinated province is,” the panel said in a tweet.

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Monday also marks the deadline for long-term care workers in the province to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Staff, students and volunteers can’t enter long-term care homes without proof of both doses.

9:15 a.m.

A guide to Quebec’s COVID-19 vaccine passport

Quebec’s  vaccine passport  is mandatory for people 13 and older who want to access services and activities deemed non-essential by the provincial government, including bars, restaurants, gyms, festivals and sporting events.

Quebecers can use a smartphone app to prove their vaccination status or simply carry their QR code on paper.

The app is available from Apple’s App Store and Google Play  .

We have published two guides to the passports – one looks at  how to download and set up the app  , and another  answers key questions about the system, including how, when and why.

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You can find more information on the Quebec government’s website –  one page has details  on how the system works, and  another has a list of the places where a vaccine passport will be required  .

9:15 a.m.

A guide to COVID-19 vaccinations in Quebec

Local health authorities have set up mass vaccination sites across Montreal.

You can book appointments via  the Clic Santé website  or by phone at 1-877-644-4545.

Quebecers can also visit  walk-in AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer vaccine clinics  .

Here are the nuts and bolts of getting vaccinated  , by Katherine Wilton. Her guide includes the age groups targeted, how to book appointments, and addresses of vaccination centres.

9:15 a.m.

Here are the current pandemic restrictions in Montreal and Quebec

We are regularly updating our list of what services are open, closed or modified in Montreal and Quebec, including information on the curfew and other lockdown measures.

You can read it here.

9:15 a.m.

Here’s where Montrealers can get tested today

Montrealers can be screened at  test centres  across the island.

For other parts of Quebec,  check out this page on the Quebec government’s site  .

8:30 a.m.

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