Article content continued
However, the government is clearly worried that the spike in numbers that followed Canadian Thanksgiving will be repeated at Christmas.
It’s important politics doesn’t come before protecting Canadians
Tam said that provinces and territories continue to highlight that family and holiday celebrations are “an important driver of spread”.
Two weeks after Thanksgiving on October 12 – the typical incubation period – Canada saw a significant increase in transmission within households.
Quebec Premier François Legault proposed a “moral contract” with his citizens for the holiday season.
He said Quebecers could gather in groups of less than 10 between Dec 24 and Dec. 27, but he asked them to take precautions including a quarantine.
“We ask people to limit their contacts as much as possible, a week before and a week after. That way when we see our friends and family we will limit the risk of contagion.”
He announced schools in the province would transition students to online learning a few days before the planned start of the Christmas break and high school students would come back later into January.
Legault also extended business closures and restrictions in the hardest hit areas of the province into January 11.
B.C. Thursday night also made it mandatory to wear masks in public spaces while social interactions will be under new restrictions until Dec. 7 because of a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Manitoba, where the per capita infection rate is nearly four times the national average, said that effective Friday it will restrict socializing indoors to immediate household members, with the exception of child care and health providers. Over the past five days in Manitoba, 14 per cent of COVID-19 tests have come back positive.
