COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know on Sunday
Team sports, audiovisual production will be allowed to resume in Quebec on Monday
The latest:
- Quebec has 52,849 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 4,978 people have died as of Saturday, an increase of 225 cases and eight deaths from a day earlier.
- There are 972 people in hospital (a decrease of nine), including 128 in intensive care (a decrease of one). Here's a guide to the numbers.
- The application period for the province's program to hire 10,000 orderlies for the province's long-term care facilities is now closed.
- Movie and TV production will be allowed to resume Monday, provided workers respect physical-distancing rules.
- The province is allowing training for team sports like soccer and baseball to resume Monday, but there will be no games, for now, and players will have to practise physical distancing.
- The Fédération autonome de l'enseignement, a union representing 45,000 Quebec teachers, is criticizing the Quebec government for the confusion surrounding its proposed summer school for struggling students. The union says the education sector was already struggling due to budget cuts, and the pandemic response is contributing to a harmful work environment for teachers.
- Starting Monday, daycares outside the greater Montreal region, Joliette and l'Épiphanie can have up to 75 per cent of their normal capacity. Until now, daycares had to stay under 50 per cent capacity.
As fewer new COVID-19 case and hospitalizations are announced in Quebec, the province is reopening team sports and film and TV production on Monday. Both sectors will have to respect the province's physical-distancing rules and other guidelines.
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Quebec's COVID-19 data on Sunday included the lowest number of new cases, 225, since March 22. It was the seventh consecutive day with fewer than 300 confirmed cases reported.
On Saturday, the number of people in hospital dropped to 981, the first time it has fallen below 1,000 since April 19 — though it is worth noting that on May 19 Quebec stopped counting patients who were well enough to be released but still waiting to be transferred to safe institutional care.
The numbers are in line with a gradual decline in most indicators that has persisted for around a month, during which time daily testing numbers for Quebec have largely stayed above 10,000 — much higher than in the first two months of the pandemic.
Gaspésie business owners gear up for tourist season
Eight business owners have signed Le manifeste gaspésien pour la santé globale, a manifesto and plea to Gaspesians to put out the welcome mat for tourists this summer, despite fears about COVID-19.
Gaspé businesses have been gearing up for the possibility of a tourist season since the Quebec government ordered roadblocks restricting access to Eastern Quebec to be lifted May 18.
The police checkpoints were aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19, by allowing only essential travel from other regions.
The roadblocks were lifted on schedule, despite concerns voiced by the regional director of public health, Dr. Yv Bonnier-Viger, about an influx of visitors who may bring the virus with them.
Face masks and the hearing impaired
As Quebec public health recommends wearing masks to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, communicating has become more challenging for those living with hearing loss.
"I was having high anxiety.… I have to stay close, but then I was getting other people nervous. I understand they want to keep social distancing," said Katrina Tarondo of a recent trip to the pharmacy.
Since she relies on hearing aids and reading facial expressions to communicate with others, understanding those with their faces covered is difficult.
She's part of a group encouraging people to use clear face shields when they intact with the hearing impaired.