With the COVID-19 Omicron variant spreading across the country, some provinces are restricting vaccinations due to pandemic restrictions. As a result, vaccination booster shots are becoming increasingly popular among Canadians.
In Quebec, Premier Francois Legault argued yesterday that vaccinations aren’t enough to prevent the spread of Omicron, and he also reversed his decision to relax the limit on indoor gatherings over the holidays. As of Monday, all bars, restaurants, retail stores, and places of worship in Quebec will be limited to 50 percent capacity. Work parties as well as dancing in bars, clubs, and restaurants will be prohibited.
Premier Doug Ford of Ontario has reintroduced a 50 percent capacity limit on crowds in venues with a capacity of over 1,000.
In both Ontario and Quebec, the number of new COVID cases daily has risen above 2,000, and the latest modeling in both provinces indicates that if urgent action is not taken to slow Omicron’s spread, those numbers will soar to historic levels.
In Saskatchewan, booster shots will be available starting Monday to residents over 18 years of age and the period between the second and third dose will be shortened from five months to three months.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to be cautious over the holiday season as the grim toll of deaths from COVID 19 surpassed 30,000. He said that, during an interview, “Choices we make as Canadians now will determine how bad the rest of our winter is — how many people are going to die, how overwhelmed our hospitals are going to become, and how much we are going to suffer in our economy.”
