À l’aube de la fin du port du masque obligatoire dans les lieux publics, dès ce samedi, le ministre de la Santé Christian Dubé n’exclut toujours pas de le réimposer en cas de septième vague de COVID-19. Mais il prévient que le Québec est maintenant « ailleurs en termes de protection » contre la pandémie.
Publié à 13h20
« Je pense qu’on est ailleurs en termes de protection de la pandémie. Je pense que les variants ont changé aussi », a-t-il lancé vendredi, en marge d’une conférence de presse à Montréal, promettant toutefois que la Santé publique surveillera la situation « de très près ».
Il affirme que le masque a jusqu’ici offert une « protection importante » aux Québécois, mais que la connaissance scientifique « de tous les facteurs qui contribuent à la contamination » a aussi évolué largement dans la province et dans le monde.
« Si c’était nécessaire de recommander [le retour du masque obligatoire]This would be the right thing to do. But we are not here now. I want to tell you: let’s enjoy the summer a little, and the good news. We’ve been through a very difficult time.”
Mr Dube at the same time emphasized that from Saturday, we will collectively have “trust in the people of Quebec”. “We are there. It is good news that we are able to get through this stage. On the other hand, we want to do it while respecting personal choices,” the minister recalls, echoing the words of the acting National Director of Public Health, Dr.s Luke Poelho, earlier this week.
Quebec has repeatedly called in recent days for respect and calm, and has stressed that people who want to keep the mask to work in a certain “transition period” have every right to do so. “There is still a reaction we saw two years ago to having a mask with us to get out of the car and go to the grocery store,” the minister said.
“The virus is still there and we can see it. There are still 25 to 30 deaths associated with COVID-19 today. Yes, there is an improvement, but it is still there, the virus,” insisted Christian Dube again, who also intends to continue to hide “in situations Certain” where he will feel “more comfortable with the protection” of the cover.
So far, Quebec continues to notice a strong downtrend in other indicators. On Friday, the county recorded a decrease in the number of hospitalizations by 67. The 1,754 people currently in hospital represent a 15% decrease in one week. In intensive care, 59 patients represented a 2% decrease within one week.
Lucas Tremblay is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues affecting their communities. Lucas is committed to presenting relevant stories in a straightforward and accessible way, providing balanced coverage that keeps readers connected to the latest developments.