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

• On Wednesday, Quebec reported 1,750 people in hospital (an increase of 158 from the previous day), including 191 in intensive care (an increase of six). 
• The province reported 14,486 new cases of COVID-19 and 39 new deaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 680,308 confirmed cases and 11,820 people have died.
• On Wednesday, the province also reported a total of 15,300,211 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered, including  92 506 in the last 24 hours.
• 89 per cent of the eligible population in the province (ages five and up) has received one dose of vaccine, 82 per cent have received two doses, and 19 per cent have received three doses.

The new cases represent those reported to the Quebec government only. They are believed to be an underrepresentation of the virus's spread, given the limited availability of PCR tests and use of home testing kits.

Quebec will distribute seven million rapid tests to preschools and elementary school students and staff, and says it's sticking to its plan of reopening schools in two weeks. 

"I'm pretty confident that we will go back to in-person teaching and learning Jan. 17, but I can't be sure 100 per cent, of course, because COVID is COVID and we have to listen to public health," Education Minister Jean-François Roberge said in an update on the school situation Wednesday.

They want schools open as soon as possible because of the negative effects keeping schools closed can have on children and their development, he said.

The province has also promised to provide students with LTE sticks to plug into their computers if they don't have access to internet at home, and said they will also ramp up the number of carbon dioxide detectors distributed to schools.

About 30 to 40 per cent of COVID hospitalizations are actually people who sought care for another reason and were found to be positive to COVID once at the hospital, Quebec Public Health Director Dr. Horacio Arruda said today.

Vaccine passports may be needed to stop by the SAQ

Picking up a bottle of wine from the SAQ may soon require more than just your wallet and ID.

The Quebec government is considering implementing the vaccine passport at the SAQ and SQDC, Radio-Canada has learned. 

The SAQ confirmed that it has discussed the measure with the province, and is prepared to apply it if the government goes ahead. Health Minister Christian Dubé is having a news conference Thurday morning, but no details have been released.

The news comes after the Quebec government recently suggested more restrictions for the unvaccinated were on the horizon.

"While the specific intervention in this setting, this very small change in this setting, may not change all that much, I think it just signals to the population that vaccinations are necessary," said epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Labos.

But Jean-Francois Mary, the executive director at the harm reduction group CACTUS, said he has concerns about what it means for those struggling with an addiction to alcohol.

"Where is the only place where you can buy spirits? It's the SAQ," he told CBC News. "So they are actually restricting access for people who are dependant on the substance ... for which withdrawal can cause death. This is very, very problematic."

PCR tests no longer open to general public

Faced with tens of thousands of people seeking PCR tests on a daily basis and a dwindling quantity of screening supplies, Quebec public health is putting an end to testing the general public for the coronavirus.

PCR tests will be reserved for those in high-risk settings such as hospitals, long-term care homes, detention centres and homeless shelters, a senior strategic advisor to Quebec public health said during a technical briefing Tuesday.

Northern and remote communities will also be given priority, said Dr. Marie-France Raynault.

"If you are not in a place where there is an active outbreak or in an environment at risk, the general population, for all practical purposes, will not have access to PCR tests," she said."We are absolutely overwhelmed by the Omicron wave."

Quebec public health is encouraging people to use rapid tests when possible, and if not, to isolate if they are showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Isolation for double vaccinated cut to five days

Quebecers with at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine who test positive will only have to isolate for five days.

The Quebec government made the announcement at a technical briefing Tuesday. Previously, all those who tested positive had to remain in isolation for 10 days after symptoms began.

The person must also have spent 24 hours without a fever before coming out of isolation. For the following five days, the person must wear a mask and keep a distance of two metres from others.

If these conditions cannot be met, the 10-day isolation remains in effect. 

Children under 12 will also be able to take advantage of the five-day isolation period.

Other provinces have also moved to reduce the period to five days, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick. The United States also only requires a five-day isolation.

Health-care workers in the province will also have their isolation period reduced, but only to seven days. In some cases, COVID-positive health care staff may still be called into work.

New rules for long-term care homes, residences

Quebec is tightening its measures around seniors residences and long-term care homes, or CHSLDs, in an effort to limit the spread of the virus.

Only those considered caregivers will be allowed to enter the facilities. In CHSLDs and intermediary services, it is limited to one person per resident per day. In private seniors residences, only one caregiver can go at a time, for a maximum of two people per resident per day.

The homes will be tasked with asking each resident to identify a maximum of four people to be considered caregivers in order to limit the amount of people who have access to the home. A vaccine passport will be required, regardless of whether it is a private or public facility.

The Quebec government said the measures are to address a rise in care homes reporting outbreaks of 10 cases or more.

As of Jan. 2, there were 2,640 cases in long-term care, representing 521 homes, according to the health ministry.

Top COVID-19 stories

• Quebec's new restrictions have been met with mixed reactions
• Experts warn outbreaks in Quebec's long-term care homes could get worse before they improve
• Quebec sees record number of kids in hospital with COVID-19
• Here's how Quebec plans to keep some COVID-infected, exposed essential workers on the job
• Several Montreal hospitals restrict visitors amid soaring COVID-19 cases
• What to do if you think you have the Omicron variant