From January, the Dre Anne Gatignol, professor of microbiology at McGill University, sounded the alarm and recommended quarantines for any traveler returning from China. What does she think of the deconfinement that is fast approaching in the Montreal region? Interview.
Posted on May 19, 2020 at 5:00 a.m.
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Do you believe that Montreal is ready for a deconfinement?
You have to get out of it at some point, you don’t have much choice, but you have to go gradually and carefully. As François Legault reminded us, if it starts again, it will have to be reconfigured. And who wants this?
Which businesses should be reopened?
Better to go widely so that people don’t all end up in the same place. Ditto for the parks. We must make them all accessible. On Mount Royal, for example, the cemetery has been closed, so that all runners are on the same routes, which is undesirable.
What precautions are required when approaching deconfinement in the Montreal region?
In public transport, especially in the metro, you have to make the mask mandatory. The metro must also be regularly disinfected. People who can telecommute must continue to do so. Those who absolutely must return to the office should not take the elevator with someone. You have to have patience or, better, take the stairs. And we don’t touch the elevator buttons.
In Quebec, you were among the first to be seriously worried about this virus and you did not hesitate to speak publicly to say how much the greatest precautions were required. A few months later, are you still so worried?
We have regained some control of the situation, but we must continue because there will undoubtedly be a second wave which will have to be mitigated as much as possible. You have to keep a cautious attitude, continue at all times to keep two meters away from others and wear the mask in public transport and in shops. If the authorities did not recommend the mask at first, it is simply because there was not enough. And besides, I observe that when I wear it, spontaneously, people are more likely to distance themselves.
How much should we dread all these surfaces that we will inevitably touch upon returning to the stores?
Basically, it looks like the virus stays on plastic and metal for three days, while it seems to survive 24 hours on fabric or cardboard. But when you buy a piece of clothing or shoes, you want to try it on first. On French television, I saw that they spray clothes before putting them on the shelves. In any case, it is up to each sector to adapt according to its reality, and so far, I see that the traders are not lacking in imagination.
And finally, was the decision to keep schools closed in the Montreal area?
I believe so, yes. Montreal is still the hotspot for all of Canada, worse than Toronto and Vancouver, and that’s still hard to understand. Yes, for the Montreal region, it is a good thing that we postponed the return to class.
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