COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Thursday

• Quebec reported 1,807 new cases ofCOVID-19 on Thursday and1 new death.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 460,233confirmed cases and 11,597people have died.
• There are 255 people in hospital (an increase of 13), including 60in intensive care (an increaseof one).
• The province has administered 13,863,084doses of theCOVID-19 vaccine, including 33,799doses in the last 24 hours.
• 87 per cent of the eligible population in the province (age five and up) hasreceived one dose of vaccine, and 81per cent hasreceived two doses.

Note: Quebec's vaccination rate has been adjusted to include five- to 11-year-olds, causing the overall percentage to drop. Vaccinations for the group began last week.

Quebec'sHealth Ministry does not publish the number of vaccines administered on weekends and public holidays.

Quebec confirmed1,807 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday the highest number since January, according to Radio-Canada.

The majority of cases identified are among unvaccinated people andchildren. In some cases, unvaccinated children transmitted the virus to their parents.

Thirteen more people were hospitalized with the virus over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 255 people in hospital across the province.

Rapid testsfor Quebec kids

Quebec's Health Ministry has announced that all preschool and elementary school students will be receiving rapid COVID-19 screening teststhat can be used at home.

Starting this week, tests will be distributed to school boards and service centres in Montreal, the Eastern Townships, Chaudire-Appalaches, Lanaudire, theMontrgie and the Laurentians regions where theepidemiological situation is "more worrisome," according to the Health Ministry.

As the holidays approach, each student will be given a kit in their school bag that includes five tests as well as the materials and instructions for performing them.Rapid tests, which provide results in as little as 15 minutes, may be used for children who have any symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.

Distributionwill be carried out by the Health Ministryand will take place gradually.Other regions will receive the tests starting the week of Dec.13.

Since rapid tests are deemed to be less reliable than those used in the laboratory, in the event that a child tests positive, parentsmust make an appointment to have the diagnosis confirmed at a screening centre.

The government says while the tests are useful, vaccination is still the best way to slow the spread of the virus.

Total of 5 omicron cases in Quebec

Quebec is reporting four additional cases of the omicron COVID-19 variant.

The Health Ministrysaid in a post on Twitter Thursday that the cases were detected among travellers and that seven more cases were under investigation.

Quebec had previously reported one case of the omicron variant in the province. It, too, was travel-related. So far, the province does not appear to have community transmission of the new variant.

On Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTechsaid a three-shot course of their COVID-19 vaccine was able to neutralize the new omicron variant in a laboratory testand that they could deliver an omicron-based vaccine in March 2022 if needed.

The companies saidthat two vaccine doses resulted in significantly lower neutralizing antibodies, but that a third dose of their vaccine increased the neutralizing antibodies by a factor of 25.

Booster shots

The Quebec government has announced that health-care workers can now get their booster shots.

Health Minister Christian Dub, public health director Dr. HoracioArruda andDaniel Par, director of the vaccination campaign in Quebec, held a news conference Tuesday to announce the details.

Currently in Quebec,booster doses are only available to people over 70,thosewith weakened immune systems and people who had received two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

But people age60 and over will have to wait for the beginning of January to get theirs. Dub said the reason for the delay is that the province has just enough staff right now to administer vaccines to seniors, young children and those already eligible for boosters.

Canada'sNational Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)is strongly recommendinga booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for all Canadians 50 and older.

The recommendation also extends to health-care workers,Indigenous people and those living in congregate-care settingsandall those who only received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The committee is also recommendingCanadians age 18 to 49 get a third mRNA shotat least six months after they got their second.

Holiday gathering limits

The Quebec government has announced an easing of public health rules for this holiday season.

As of Dec. 23, parties can include up to 20 people who are fully vaccinated.

But the health minister said it is still important to limit contacts and behave responsibly.

And the province's public health director said it would be very unwise for unvaccinated people to hold large gatheringsor for guest lists to include a mix of non-vaccinated and fully protected people.

Masks back in Quebec City primary schools

The Health Ministry says students in elementary schools in the Quebec City region will have to go back to wearing masks at all times inside the school, even for physical education classes, if a two-metre distance cannot be maintained between pupils.

Students at after-school daycare will also wear masks as will anyone on a school bus that transports younger children.

Regional public health authorities say the epidemiological situation is worsening in the area.

The new rules will be in place until school breaks for the holidays and will be reviewed in the New Year.

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