As of March 14, vaccination passports will no longer be required to access businesses and services in Québec, according to Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé.

He advised Quebec residents to keep the app on their phones, however, with the possibility of a sixth wave still looming.

Dubé claimed the passport has been a . . .

useful tool in helping to manage COVID cases across the province and country, and noted that it is still required for traveling abroad.

Wearing masks will remain mandatory for the time being, but Dubé added that a revision of the measures still in effect is anticipated for mid-March.

It was also reported that 25 per cent of the Quebec population has contracted the Omicron variant in the past couple of months, and that cases of the new BA.2 variant have also been detected in the province.

“While this new variant is more contagious, it is not more deadly than previous variants,” said Quebec’s Interim Director of Public Health, Dr. Luc Boileau.

Boileau also stated that the province’s stock of Pfizer Paxlovid antiviral tablets will increase at a rate of 5,000 doses per week as of March 1.

The antiviral is a means of protection for groups who are at higher risk, as well as unvaccinated patients who contracted COVID, Dubé said, adding that it was an added tool in their arsenal of defense against the virus.

As of Feb 16, CISSSO listed the following statistics for the Pontiac area:

Alleyn-et-Cawood: 8 (no increase)

Bristol: 19 (no increase)

Bryson: 36 (no increase)

Campbell’s Bay: 40 (no increase)

Chichester: 32 (+3)

Clarendon: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Fort-Coulonge: 133 (+4)

Île-du-Grand-Calumet: 18 (no increase)

L’Îsles-aux-Allumettes: 39 (+3)

Litchfield: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Mansfield and Pontefract: 210 (no increase)

Otter Lake: 42 (no increase)

Portage-du-Fort: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Rapide-des-Joachims 5 or fewer (no increase)

Shawville: 117 (+1)

Sheenboro: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Thorne: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Waltham: 20 (no increase)

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