Covid-19 update: 465 active cases

Quebec announces relaxing of mask requirements by mid-April

Sophie Demers

 

Forty-one new Covid-19 cases were reported in Outaouais, as of March 4. There are currently 465 active cases in the region. This brings the total number of cases in the area since the beginning of the pandemic to 35,416. There have been 287 Covid-19 related deaths in the Outaouais. There are currently 19 individuals in the hospital, five of whom are in intensive care. A total of 27 of CISSSO employees currently have the virus.
The majority of Covid-19 cases are in Gatineau, with 25,035 cumulative cases and 275 active. The MRC de Papineau has had a total of 4,744 cases and currently has 102 active cases; the MRC de Pontiac has had a total of 1,184 cases and currently has 22 active cases; the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais has had a total of 2,767 cases and has 31 active cases; and, the MRC de la Vallée-de-la-Gatineau has had 1,535 total cases and currently has 28 active cases. The origin of seven cases is yet to be determined.
–Provincial safety regulations updated
As of March 7, elementary and highschool students are no longer required to wear a mask in class when they are seated. This also applies to after-school care services.
On March 3, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) announced that they will gradually be relaxing the masking requirements in public places. Starting mid-April at the latest, masks will no longer be required in public places, except on public transport. By mid-May, masking will no longer be required for public transit.
Starting March 14, all activities and locations, apart from international travel, will no longer require a vaccine passport. Bars, restaurants, and taverns will no longer have a capacity limit; they may return to regular hours, and dance and karaoke will be permitted. Public places will reopen at full capacity. Public events, both indoor and outdoor, will be permitted with no restrictions. Gyms and spas will no longer have capacity limits.
Gatineau states that starting March 15, public Municipal Council and Executive Committee meetings will take place in person.
The City will start the gradual return to offices on March 7 and will continue until April 4. The 700 employees currently teleworking will gradually return to in-person, alternating with telework.
–Vaccination and testing
Although Covid cases are decreasing, municipal, provincial and federal governments continue to encourage citizens to get vaccinated and stay up to date with boosters.
Individuals hoping to get their first or second vaccination can do so at six walk-in clinics in the region or book their vaccine appointments by visiting https://portal3.clicsante.ca/ or by
calling 1-877-644-4545.
The Gatineau testing clinic is located at 135, St-Raymond Blvd and is open weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm. Rapid antigen screening tests are available to individuals at pharmacies, depending on the stock at each location.
To report a positive or negative rapid test, individuals can visit Québec.ca/testcovid-19 to declare.