According to a Jan. 21 CISSSO press conference, 37 residents at the Sacre Coeur Manor in Fort Coulonge have tested positive for COVID. Additional healthcare personnel were dispatched to help contain the situation.

There is also an outbreak at the Pontiac Reception Centre in Shawville, four residents have tested positive.

Although fewer health-care workers were . . .

absent from work due to COVID, from a high of 20,000 in recent weeks to 12,000 currently, resources across the health-care system remain stretched.

There has been a steady decline of daily cases across the province, but hospitalizations remain at 3,400.

“We see a light at the end of the tunnel but we must remain prudent and will not lift any further restrictions until we continue to see the numbers decrease,” said Premier Legault, who says the priority of the healthcare system is to limit hospitalizations.

“We are getting through the worst of the storm [of the fifth wave] but the system is still under a lot of pressure. When we can relax the measures that are currently in place, we will do it gradually,” added Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé.

Paxlovid oral antiviral

Quebec is set to receive its first shipment of 6,300 doses of Paxlovid, an oral antiviral drug treatment which is a combination of two medications that must be taken together. Paxlovid is said to reduce hospitalizations and deaths for high risk people, according to Deputy Health Minister, Lucie Opatrny. An additional 6,200 treatments will be shipped in February, and 19,000 in March 2022.

Vaccinations and passports

Third dose vaccination appointments are now available for all age groups. Government officials urge people to check for availability in order to accelerate vaccinations.

Vaccination passports will be requested for people 13 years and older in order to gain access to certain areas, businesses and unessential services. They can be provided by using the VaxiCode app to display a QR code, or by displaying a PDF file on mobile phones. Paper format is also an acceptable proof of vaccination.

As of Jan. 24 CISSSO listed the following statistics for the Pontiac area:

Alleyn-et-Cawood 5

Bristol: 15 (+3)

Bryson: 33 (+4)

Campbell’s Bay: 33 (+1)

Chichester: 17 (+2)

Clarendon: 5 or fewer

Fort-Coulonge: 106 (+14)

Île-du-Grand-Calumet: 15 (no increase)

L’Îsles-aux-Allumettes: 31 (no increase)

Litchfield: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Mansfield and Pontefract: 176 (+21)

Otter Lake: 36 (+2)

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

Rapide-des-Joachims 5 or fewer

Shawville: 89 (+9)

Sheenboro: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Thorne: 5 or fewer (no increase)

Waltham: 18 (+1)

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