The increase in hospitalizations due to COVID could continue for another two weeks and have effects on “the supply of services” in the health network, declared Friday the national director of public health by interim, Dr. Luc Boileau. .
He once again asked Quebecers to make a “collective vigilance effort”, recalling that “the risks are currently on the side of the most vulnerable people”, especially those aged 70 and over.
The resurgence of infections, as well as the absence of 13,000 workers in the health network, could lead to even more load shedding. “Of course, there is a possible effect on the supply of health and social services,” acknowledged Dr. Boileau.
Public Health does not plan to impose new measures to curb the spread of the virus, in particular because the projections do not suggest “rates of hospitalizations as high as in January”.
To improve the accuracy of rapid screening tests for COVID-19, it now recommends passing the swab in the mouth and then in the nostrils.
Dr. Boileau apologizes
Two days after his appearance in parliamentary committee on the bill ending the state of health emergency, Dr Boileau apologized for the comments he made there. He then declared that by abruptly ending the state of health emergency, “we will kill people”.
“I regret using those words, it was inappropriate and I apologize for that,” he said.
The doctor explained that he was trying to explain the risks associated with reduced testing and vaccination capacity. He also declared that he wanted to highlight “the risks of weakening” the health network by removing the levers allowing the use of volunteers from the JeContribue initiative.
Further details will follow.
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