From Saturday May 14, wearing the mask will be optional in closed public areas except public transportation and some health establishments.

But many people still need to wear it because of a medical condition or by personal choice.

We know that many people want to continue wearing it after the 14th, demanding a great deal of respect for this personal choice. The people to whom it is recommended are people with respiratory diseases or immunosuppression.explained Dr. Stéphane Trépanier, interim director of public health.

One hundred employees are still missing due to the pandemic, added Dr. Stéphane Trépanier.

Decline in hospitals

Regarding the epidemiological situation, public health has seen encouraging signs within three weeks.

Abitibi-Témiscamingue is experiencing a sharp decrease in COVID-19 delivery. There are 7 hospitals including one person in intensive care and a dozen outbreaks.

Since Dec. 5, 97 people have died from COVID-19 in the region, most of them elderly and frail.

That is why the public health is insisting that these people get their booster dose of the vaccine against COVID-19, explained Dr. Omobola Sobanjo, medical advisor to Public Health.

There are many questions, people want to know, at our 97 deaths, who these people are. More than 80% are aged 70 and over, which is why the recommendation for a second booster dose is focused on older people. In other age groups, we have less than 10%. If we examine the data in more detail, we will see that these are people with poor health conditions or people who did not receive any vaccine at the time of their hospitalization or their death.explained Doctor Omobola Sobanjo.

It indicates that nearly 60% of the deaths lived in living environments for vulnerable people, CHSLDs, intermediate resources (RI) or shelters for the elderly (RPA).