There is no doubt that Christmas this year and the end of the whole year will not be the same, due to the rapid spread of the Covid-19 variant, Omicron around the world and especially in Canada where it is already reverberating in different cities.
This variant was initially detected in South Africa in early November, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a “variable of concern” on 26 November.
In Quebec, for example, the increase in cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 is alarming, and has led the Quebec government to tighten restrictions to ease contagion during the holiday period.
The numbers reached a record 4,571 new cases within 24 hours, an increase of 21 cases in hospitals in this province. This, as the omicron variant appears to double its prevalence every two days, which has made the epidemiological situation critical.
Meanwhile, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said the community spread is staggering. “Our health system is already in crisis and things are not improving.”
Restrictions in Canada
All travelers will need to take a COVID-19 molecular test again before returning to Canada.
“From December 21, the requirement to conduct pre-arrival tests will be valid again for flights of any duration,” the minister said.
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Among the measures announced are the return of 50% of capacity in bars and restaurants, the ban on activities such as dancing and karaoke, and restrictions on the capacity of shops and private gatherings of a maximum of 10 people during parties, despite the fact. Last week the same government increased the maximum number of people to 20 people.
The capacity of institutions such as cinemas, theatres, gyms and other indoor spaces designated for physical training was also limited.
According to the information provided by the minister, these new measures will be in effect for at least four weeks.
The health authority stressed that although the measure may appear strict, it is necessary to avoid overburdening the already sensitive health system and workers in the sector, who have already been at the forefront of the epidemic for 20 months providing medical care.
visions of political parties
The Conservative Party’s health spokesman, Luke Berthold, said he doubted the government’s ability and, above all, the government’s willingness for these measures.
Berthold said he hopes to see if the government is willing and able to implement public health recommendations.
Yves Francois Blanchett, the leader of the Quebec bloc, said he would be open to closing the borders.
In 2020, border management has been difficult, especially during the Christmas holidays. I think the government thinks intervening earlier, with more intensity, is a good thing. “I think we should proceed wisely,” said Blanchett.
Warning from the World Health Organization
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called for caution during the Christmas holidays due to the increase in COVID-19 infections worldwide.
The top leader of the United Nations World Health Organization was sympathetic to the citizens’ stress, but insisted that the quickest way to “return to normal life” was to “make the difficult decisions that need to be made”.
And so I realized that ‘in some cases’ this would mean ‘canceling or delaying the events’ of Christmas.
But a canceled event is better than a canceled life. “It is better to cancel now and celebrate late than to celebrate now and mourn later,” the director of the organization said.
The epidemiologist leading the WHO’s response to the coronavirus, Maria Van Kerkhove, gave an example by declaring on her Twitter account that her family had “made the difficult decision to postpone their Christmas trip to the United States,” her source country.
The omicron variant spreads faster than the delta variant, and it is also “people who have been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 are more likely to become infected or re-infected”, assures the World Health Organization
