COVID-19 live updates: Quebec publishes timeline for advancing second-dose appointments

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Updated throughout the day on Thursday, June 3. Questions/comments: ariga@postmedia.com

Top updates

3:05 p.m.

Videos: Arruda on AstraZeneca second doses and the challenge of administering second doses

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3 p.m.

Step right up and get your second jab sooner than planned, Dubé says

Following up on my earlier live coverage, here’s our full story, by Philip Authier in Quebec City, about today’s announcement by Health Minister Christian Dubé.

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2:45 p.m.

Bloc Québécois proposes motion denouncing Air Canada’s pandemic bonuses for top executives

The Bloc Québécois today is proposing a motion in the House of Commons that would denounce Air Canada for giving millions of dollars in bonuses to top executives as the Montreal-based airline negotiated a $5.9-billion federal pandemic bailout.

A union representing Air Canada flight attendants has called the company “shameless and morally bankrupt” for paying out “lavish executive bonuses while lobbying for a bailout and laying off tens of thousands of workers.”

Premier François Legault has also criticized the move.

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2 p.m.

U.S. set to share about 80M vaccine doses with other countries

The White House is giving 75 per cent of its surplus COVID-19 vaccines to the international sharing program known as COVAX — and Canada is in line to get some of what’s left over, The Canadian Press reports.

All told, some 80 million doses, including 60 million of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, will be shared around the world by the end of June.

Of the first tranche of 25 million doses, six million will be earmarked for regional priorities and partners, a list that includes Mexico and Canada, as well as the Republic of Korea, the West Bank and Gaza.

Also getting a share of the six million will be Ukraine, Kosovo, Haiti, Georgia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen, as well as United Nations front-line workers.

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki says the first batch of doses will begin shipping out as early as today.

Doses shared through COVAX will prioritize Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia and Africa, in co-ordination with the African Union.

The U.S. first began sharing its surplus of AstraZeneca doses — a vaccine that has never been approved for use domestically — back in March, providing 1.5 million doses to Canada and 2.5 million to Mexico.

2 p.m.

Quebec publishes timeline for advancing second-dose appointments

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé has published a much-anticipated schedule showing when people can change their second-dose appointments.

Speaking to reporters in Quebec City, Dubé said about three million appointments can be rescheduled.

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Earlier today (see item below, timestamped 11:35 a.m.), Quebec announced it was reducing the recommended interval between doses of all COVID-19 vaccines to eight weeks.

Quebecers will be able to speed up their second shot by age group, beginning with those 80 and older on Monday.

Here is the full schedule of when each age group can rebook their appointments to an earlier date:

Those who already have second appointments and want to keep them don’t have to do anything.

If Quebecers want to change the date of their second shot, they will be able to do so via Clic Santé. Officials say the option will be clearly labelled on the booking site. Once a new appointment is set, the original appointment will be automatically cancelled.

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In most cases, the second shot will be provided at the same clinic where people got their first one.

Dubé said the 12-17 age group is not included yet because for now teenagers are still getting their first doses. There are about 600,000 people in that category. Almost half of them have received a first dose or have booked an appointment to get one, Dubé said.

Dubé said Quebec’s vaccination blitz is going well. However, the province has not yet reached its goal of administering first doses to 75 per cent of people in the 18-40 age group, he added.

He urged people 18 to 40 get their first dose as soon as possible.

Daniel Paré, who is overseeing Quebec’s vaccination campaign, said he has been assured by the federal government that the province will receive enough doses of AstraZeneca in June to allow people who received that vaccine as a first dose to get it as a second shot.

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Paré was asked if Quebec will have enough personnel to staff vaccination centres throughout the summer.

He said that is not an issue and the province has more than enough people willing to work.

More than 12,000 people are working on the campaign, he said.

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Noon

75% of Quebec adults have received a first vaccine dose

Quebec has reached its goal of administering a first vaccine dose to 75 per cent of adults.

The province originally hoped to reach that target by June 24. Then, it moved the target to June 15. It met the goal yesterday (June 2).

11:35 a.m.

Quebec cuts dose interval to eight weeks for all vaccines

Quebec is reducing the recommended interval between doses of all COVID-19 vaccines to eight weeks.

The previous interval was 16 weeks for Pfizer and Moderna.

The Health Department announced the change this morning, citing a new recommendation from the Comité sur l’immunisation du Québec.

“It is important that the offer to advance the second dose of vaccine be made according to the prioritization schedule established by age group, as older people are at greater risk of developing complications from COVID-19,” the department said.

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It noted that “for people with immunosuppression or on dialysis who have not yet received their second dose, the recommended interval is four weeks to optimize their immune response quickly.”

The province reduced the interval between AstraZeneca doses to eight weeks in May. Second doses of that shot are being offered at walk-in clinics.

The department said people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose but want Pfizer or Moderna as their second shot can do so after eight weeks.

11:10 a.m.

Updated charts: Quebec cases, deaths

11:05 a.m.

Quebec reports 267 cases, 6 deaths as hospitalizations plummet

Quebec has recorded 267 new cases of COVID-19, the provincial government announced this morning.

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Hospitalizations and the number of patients in intensive care continue to fall and are at their lowest level since October.

In addition, six new deaths were reported, including one over the previous 24 hours.

Among the other deaths, four occurred between May 17 and June 1, and one occurred on an unknown date.

Some other key statistics from Quebec’s latest COVID-19 update, published this morning:

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Since the beginning of the pandemic, Quebec has reported 371,082 cases and 11,144 deaths linked to COVID-19. A total of 356,582 people who have contracted the disease have since recovered.

10:30 a.m.

Despite being hit hard by the pandemic, Montreal and Laval have lower vaccination rates

According to data from Quebec’s public health institute, two of the Quebec cities most affected by COVID-19 — Montreal and its northern suburb Laval, Que. — have among the lowest vaccination rates in the province.

Read our full story.

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10:30 a.m.

‘Kids transmit less doesn’t mean they don’t transmit’: Don’t downplay COVID risks to kids, doctors say

Many infectious disease specialists say an end to school closures and the path back to normalcy, even sanity, hinges on having children vaccinated

9:40 a.m.

Legault raises prospect of outdoor high school proms

Premier François Legault says he is still holding out hope that Quebec high school students will be able to celebrate the end of the school year.

This year, the province has banned proms due to the pandemic, angering students, parents, and school administrators.

“I find it sad, especially after the year they lived through, that there are no proms,” Legault told reporters this morning.

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However, there would be a risk of outbreaks if traditional year-end proms take place, he added.

He said he has asked Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s director of public health, whether outside activities could be allowed.

As of June 25, outdoor festivals are allowed, Legault noted.

“Can they have an open-air ‘prom festival,’ as long as it doesn’t rain?” he said. “I asked for a compromise for our young people who deserve to have something.”

A reporter asked Legault about the low vaccination rate in some Montreal neighbourhoods.

Is he worried this will make it harder for Quebec to reach its vaccination goal?

“I hope we get to the 75-per-cent target,” Legault answered. Quebec hopes three-quarters of Quebecers 12 and over are fully vaccinated by the end of August.

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“I understand that we have to do some education in some areas,” the premier added.

“Some people are scared with no reason about the vaccine, so we have to explain to them why they need to be vaccinated.”

Legault said the province will provide information in many languages on the benefits of vaccines. “Second, we’re also looking at putting (forward) some incentives,” he added.

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9:35 a.m.

Shot and a beer: Anheuser-Busch plans brew giveaway if U.S. hits vaccination target

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9:30 a.m.

At 1 p.m., Dubé to outline plan to speed up second doses

Today at 1 p.m., Health Minister Christian Dubé is scheduled to hold a press conference to outline how Quebec will speed up second vaccine doses.

I’ll provide live coverage and a feed here.

Quebecers will be able to change their appointments via the Clic Santé booking site, starting next week with people 80 and older, Dubé has said.

The province’s plan to emerge from the pandemic by the end of the summer hinges on 75 per cent of people over 12 getting double-dosed.

So far, just 6.5 per cent of people 12 and older have received both doses.

9:15 a.m.

Federal government hikes fines for hotel quarantine violators

The federal government is increasing the fine for air travellers who refuse to quarantine in a designated hotel for three days after arriving in Canada, The Canadian Press reports.

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Travellers who had faced a $3,000 fine if they didn’t abide by the requirement will instead be liable for a $5,000 penalty starting on Thursday.

The move comes a week after a federal advisory panel raised a number of problems with the hotel quarantine and recommended the government end it.

Instead, the panel suggested that travellers be required to quarantine in a hotel only if they fail to present a credible quarantine plan.

Hundreds of tickets have reportedly been doled out to violators since the hotel quarantine was first introduced in February.

The quarantine requirement has been criticized for several reasons, including whether it actually prevents the spread of COVID-19 and concerns many air travellers are avoiding the requirement by flying into the U.S. and driving into Canada.

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9:05 a.m.

Scramble to control variants led to controversial mandatory quarantine hotel rules, court hears

When 2021 dawned with more virulent variants of concern spreading quickly and widely around the world, Canada’s top COVID-19 response officials had a bleak epiphany — what they were doing wasn’t working and things would get much worse unless they did something new.

What that something was, in a bid to control emerging virus variants — the first discovered in Britain, then South Africa and later Brazil — was strict control over people flying into Canada and a controversial system of mandatory quarantine hotels, Federal Court heard Wednesday.

Read our full story.

9:05 a.m.

Old Port site to close overnight starting today

The Old Port of Montreal says it will be closed from midnight to 6 a.m. every day, starting today, until further notice.

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Read our full story.

9:05 a.m.

Longueuil man repeatedly defies order to close ‘clandestine’ gym

A little over a month ago, as the pandemic’s third wave continued across Quebec, a Longueuil police officer made her way to a nondescript industrial building in the city’s St-Hubert borough.

After a public health investigation, the police force had reason to believe one of the building’s tenants was operating a “clandestine” gym out of a unit he rented for his welding business.

Read our full story, by Jesse Feith.

9 a.m.

A guide to COVID-19 vaccinations in Quebec

Local health authorities have set up mass vaccination sites across Montreal.

You can book appointments via the Clic Santé website or by phone at 1-877-644-4545.

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Here are the nuts and bolts of getting vaccinated, by Katherine Wilton. Her guide includes the age groups targeted, how to book appointments, and addresses of vaccination centres.

Two private sites can also help you book appointments:

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9 a.m.

Here are the current pandemic restrictions in Montreal and Quebec

We are regularly updating our list of what services are open, closed or modified in Montreal and Quebec, including information on the curfew and other lockdown measures.

You can read it here.

9 a.m.

Here’s where Montrealers can get tested today

Montrealers can be screened at test centres across the island.

You can check screening clinic wait times here.

8:45 a.m.

The situation across Canada

Here’s the rate of case growth per 100,000 people over the past seven days, via the federal government’s latest epidemiology update.

8:30 a.m.

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ariga@postmedia.com

Read my previous live blogs here.