COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know on Tuesday

• Quebec reported 425 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and one new death. 
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 389,224 confirmed cases and 11,286 people have died.
• There are 131 people in hospital (an increase of six), including 36 in intensive care (a decrease of one).
• 23,594 doses of vaccine were administered for a total of 12,340,055 doses administered in Quebec.
• 86 per cent of the eligible population in the province (age 12 and up) has received one dose of vaccine, and 79 per cent have received two doses.

The Quebec government is expecting a rise in cases and hospitalizations in the Montreal and Laval areas because of its lower vaccination rates compared to the rest of the province.

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé and the province's public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, held an update on the vaccination campaign Tuesday, with the vaccine passport launching tomorrow. For a full breakdown of how the passport system will work, and where it will apply, click here.

Dubé said daily COVID-19 case numbers in the province have remained relatively stable, at around 600, over the past few weeks despite an initial rise in cases driven by the highly contagious delta variant. 

"Unfortunately, young people are the ones catching the virus these days and they stay in hospital longer. Their symptoms are worse because their immune systems go into overdrive," Dubé said. 

Reaching young people through gaming

Montreal Public Health is trying to boost the vaccination rate among younger age groups.

It is partnering with Quebec's video game guild to launch a social media campaign.

People between the ages of 12 and 15 are invited to use the hashtag #gamervacciné_e if they received a vaccine between May 1 and Oct. 1. 

There will be a draw of five or six $25,000 cash prizes. People between the ages of 12 and 25 are also invited to get vaccinated (with or without an appointment) on Sept. 11 and 12 at the Palais des Congrès in downtown Montreal.

Groups from the local video game industry will be providing animation and handing out gifts. 

Dr. Paul Le Guerrier, who is part of the team overseeing vaccination in the city, said vaccination rates are still lagging among those age groups. He said the hope is that by reaching out to the gaming community directly, the effort could galvanize a good portion of younger Montrealers. 

Recommending a third dose

Quebec's immunization committee (CIQ) is recommending people who are immunocompromised or who are undergoing dialysis be given a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

A notice released Monday by the province's public health research institute, the INSPQ, says an additional dose should be considered as a reinforcement of the basic vaccination, as the second dose is sometimes not sufficient.

This measure concerns about one to two per cent of the population and includes people who have had an organ transplant or who are receiving chemotherapy treatment. 

The third dose of an mRNA vaccine should be given at least four weeks after the second dose, the committee says. 

For now, the CIQ is not recommending a third dose for seniors in long-term care. It says the province's strategy to delay the time between the first two doses seems to have favoured better protection.

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