Despite the wind of optimism blowing over Quebec with the return of good weather and the gradual announcement of deconfinement, experts are worried about the regions because of the rapid lifting of roadblocks and the imminent arrival of tourists from greater Montreal.
After two months of confinement, Quebecers got a dose of good news this week, with the announcement of a series of loosening of the confinement rules put in place at the start of the pandemic.
Outside of Montreal, controlled deconfinement is possible, since “the situation is under control”, considers the epidemiologist at the Latin Quarter clinic and lecturer at the School of Public Health at the University of Montreal, Nimâ Machouf .
Photo Agence QMI, Joêl Lemay
Dr. Nima Machouf.
Epidemiologist
–
–
–
However, in greater Montreal, deconfinement “is precipitated,” she said.
“We had our epidemic three weeks, a month after Europe, but we want to deconfinate at the same time as Europe. […] This is not the thing to do, “observed the visibly worried epidemiologist.
Thinking about tourism
Elsewhere in Quebec, the success of these deconfinement measures will be closely linked to the respect that people will have for hygiene instructions, observance of social distancing, etc.
“During the deconfinement, people must be very very disciplined,” insists Dr. Machouf.
For a successful containment, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is necessary in particular to prevent the importation of new cases of COVID-19, she recalled. This brings back the whole question of roadblocks which, for the most part, have been lifted.
“We have to think about these tourists who will arrive in the regions,” believes Dr. Machouf.
“The thing that worries me is the opening of the roads,” she said in an interview. We have regions that are little affected or not affected, and these are tourist regions. And there, if there are tourists who leave from Montreal, the epicenter of the epidemic in Quebec, to go and frequent these places, I am not very reassured. ”
Question of preparation
“In the regions, according to my reports, people are not ready,” she continued. The centers for the elderly are not ready. Even the health and hospital structures are not ready. In theory, they are ready, but given that they have not seen the magnitude of the thing, I imagine that they do not really believe in it. ”
Last month, a group of experts led by the professor of nursing at the University of Quebec in Outaouais, Drissa Sia, had recommended to maintain the roadblocks in order to protect the zones little infected.
“The region that we decided to deconfinate, we should leave it closed, for the simple reason of preventing people who are in hot regions from going there before the new ways of doing things are mastered”, maintains Mr. Sia.
In general, faced with the measures announced piecemeal in the past few days, the professor remains optimistic.
Optimism and vigilance
If the authorities had not given the green light to certain rallies, some would have done so “underground”, which is to be avoided.
If so, there would be a risk that “people don’t tell the truth” during epidemiological investigations, which are important for “controlling the outbreak in a given area,” he said.
Dr. Machouf also believes that we should be able to take advantage of spaces, especially outdoors, where it is possible to go without risk.
However, “let’s be vigilant, the epidemic has not yet passed,” she insists, particularly in Montreal, where the situation remains worrying.
Quebec is falling apart
Since May 20
- Resumption of individual or two-person recreational sports activities, without physical contact, in free practice, in outdoor places of practice, such as golf, tennis, hiking, etc.
Since May 22
- Outdoor gatherings of 10 people or less
Counting from today
- Reopening of food shops on Sunday
Starting tomorrow
- Reopening of retail businesses that have an independent exterior door in the greater Montreal area, as has been the case in the region since May 4
Starting May 29
- Reopening of museums, libraries and drive-ins
From June 1
- Across Quebec, reopening of private care clinics such as dentistry, physiotherapy, osteopathy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, massage therapy, psychology, optometry, acupuncture, naturopathy, homeopathy, social work, marital and family therapy, sexology, nutrition, speech-language pathology and audiology, podiatry , alternative or alternative medicine and animal grooming
- With the exception of Greater Montreal, reopening of beauty care centers, such as hair salons and barbers, beauty centers, manicure and pedicure companies, hair removal services, skin care and tattoo and piercing studios
- Resumption of activities for recording studios and for the reception of indoor shows (without audience) from June 1
Starting June 22
- Day camps allowed
–
