Crossing to Rimouski on Friday, the Dr. Horacio Arruda, however, has insisted on the dangers of gatherings of more than ten people who, more than the bars, are an important vector of contamination.
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July 17, 2020 21h16
Updated at 22: 15
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Construction holidays: no increase in cases of COVID-19 to provide
Johanne Fournier
Special Collaboration
RIMOUSKI — With the mandatory wearing of the cover face and the respect of the distancing of 2 meters, the Dr. Horacio Arruda believes that the majority of the construction will not impact on the transmission curve of the COVID-19. Crossing to Rimouski on Friday, the national director of public health, however, has insisted on the dangers of gatherings of more than ten people who, more than the bars, are an important vector of contamination.
“We are at a turning point in the battle against the COVID-19 because it is a period where there was almost no transmission, he recalled. There are still some, but less. Therefore, it is easy to release. It is not normal not to give the hand when one has not seen for a long time. It is not normal not to do a party for 25 around the pool with a good beer. It would be good! But, we can’t afford it. I understand the pleasure it was to meet, to socialize. If the distance is not there, all efforts will be made during the containment will be lost and it will take reconfiner. I think it is important to repeat: it is as if one was on parole.”
Dr. Arruda has warned the people of the Bas-Saint-Laurent, the region least affected by the virus in Quebec, that it would be a shame to lose the “victory” achieved. With 32 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, and no outbreaks in NURSING homes, schools, and day care services, “it gives the impression that he is not there”. “Congratulations for your success, but do not let go! […] It is a virus that is a traitor; he can hit from the rear at the point where we do not expect it!”
Tourism has no effect
The director of public health in the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Dr. Sylvain Leduc, has admitted that the tourist season had been seen with a certain degree of apprehension. Yet, since a month, the arrival of tourists has not had a result on the number of cases. “The expectations of tourists and those of the people of the Bas-Saint-Laurent are the same. Tourists want to visit us in environments which are safe and we, in Bas-Saint-Laurent, one wishes that the tourists come, but that they behave in a safe manner. When our two goals meet, as it seems to be the case generally, we see that there is a responsibility that is shared, and it explains why our balance sheet also remains favorable.”
Dr. Leduc is believed that the addition of the legislation on the wearing of the mask in a closed environment will help to maintain this balance and the assumption that the population of low-laurentian does not want to lose. But, the regional director of public health warns: if we lower the guard, the vacation of the construction may become an important factor in the outbreaks. The advantage of the Bas-Saint-Laurent, according to him, are the large spaces.
Horacio Arruda has the feeling that “the wearing of the mask is there for a good amount of time in Quebec, it’s going to be a new social norm, as long as there will not be a vaccine”. “It’s going to maybe have a certain contribution in the transmission of influenza and respiratory virus. When we started the hygiene measures and social distancing, flu has dropped in the month of April.”
If it turns out that the transmission of the disease are caused by movements of population or by tourists, Dr. Arruda does not exclude the possibility of direct re-the installation of control points, road to the inputs of the Bas-Saint-Laurent. “Everything is possible.” But, it would be otherwise. This would be more “surgical”. “We’re going to have to cut the tumor or remove the abscess where it is or where it is concentrated. It is necessary to be ready for anything!”
The danger of gatherings private
The national director of public health reiterated that it did not intend to proceed with the closure of the bars. “These are not necessarily the bars that are generators of the virus,” said Dr. Arruda. We strengthened the measures in the bars, there is about a week. The case that we mostly had pre-date the building. The inspections that we did in the bars and restaurants show that the people really do make efforts to apply the measures. Citizens must apply the measures also.”
For Horacio Arruda, gatherings in private are much more dangerous than the bars. “Young people sometimes say that they are going to invite ten people. After that, and another said on Twitter or on Facebook that there was an open house and they are 75 to 100 in a house or yard. To trace these young people, it is not obvious! It is not included in a list!”
If it seems difficult to think of the coercive means for the raising among the people for the bars, he noted that “nothing indicates that there will not be a procedure that will be adapted to the scale of the phenomenon”. “The rallies in the top ten could have penalties. If you see that there are more than ten people, you can call the police.”
The gatherings with family create, according to him, a false sense of security. “As a family, we glue, has raised the doctor. But, there is nothing that tells us that someone has no symptoms! If you are more than ten, it is at your own risk and peril.”
As to the rule shows to gauge reduced to 50 people imposed on the cultural milieu, Dr. Arruda has made it known that he and his team are currently reviewing the rule and also the definition of “festival”.
