Amir Khadir
Infectiologue
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According to Amir Khadir, microbiologist and infectious disease specialist, “there is no reason why [le nombre de cas] drop. The bars reopened on June 25, ten days ago, and that’s the time it takes to get new cases. It must serve as a warning to the authorities to act faster and not to remain passive. ”
Like him, Robert Platt, full professor in the Department of epidemiology, biostatistics and occupational health, and in the Department of Pediatrics of McGill University recalls that the virus has not disappeared.
“We have to be careful, as we have seen elsewhere, it is possible to have new hatches when we do not maintain physical distance,” he said.
On Sunday, the Montérégie public health department (DRSP) launched an appeal to clients who frequented the Mile Public House in Quartier DIX30, in Brossard, on June 30, due to confirmed COVID-19 cases. Several clients have been declared positive for COVID-19, noted the DRSP on its publication.
The same goes for the Laurentians, where a new outbreak of cases began at the Saint-Jérôme hospital. A total of 68 patients from different units and around 30 employees have been infected since the start of June.
With summer and the heat waves of the weekend, there was a crowd at Lac Maskinongé in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon in Lanaudière, or on the municipal beach at Grenville-sur-la-Rouge in the Laurentians.
In these two examples, the mask was absent, and social distancing, completely removed.
For the Dr Khadir, this situation is notably due to the vague messages sent by the Legault government.
“If we wear the mask less today, if people don’t distance themselves, it’s because of the government’s confused message about the importance of these things.” The authorities remain passive while this is a crucial moment, “insists the man who is one of the thirty or so Quebec doctors who asked Prime Minister Legault to make wearing a face covering mandatory.
According to him, Quebec should look at the “living laboratory” that is the United States. Because in states that have not made the mask mandatory, he says, cases have increased by 84%.
However, “you have to follow the numbers for a few days to see if there is a disturbing upward trend,” notes Robert Platt.
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