COVID-19 updates, Sept. 10: Legault condemns anti-vax protests outside Montreal schools

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Updated throughout the day on Friday, Sept. 10. Questions/comments: [email protected]

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Top updates

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5 p.m.

Thanks for reading

I’ll be back on Monday morning with another live blog.

In the meantime, you can follow all our coverage via the coronavirus page.

My previous COVID-19 live blogs are available here.

4:40 p.m.

Federal election: Advance voting now underway, with pandemic measures in place

Elections Canada, an independent agency that organizes federal elections, is assuring voters that they will be able to vote safely in the midst of the fourth wave of COVID-19.

The Montreal Gazette has put together a guide to voting in the election.

Here are some key links from Elections Canada:

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4:10 p.m.

Doctor who espoused sex helped Denmark weather COVID storm

From the Bloomberg news agency:

Weeks into the pandemic, Soren Brostrom gained international prominence for discussing a topic few health officials dared to broach: casual sex and COVID-19.

Brostrom, who heads the Danish Health Authority, had no qualms telling the media that singles needn’t be celibate — he outlined the risks without discouraging intimacy, which he said was natural. The former gynecologist’s frank pragmatism has helped his agency maintain an enviable level of public support even while navigating tough decisions, like breaking with other nations to halt the rollout of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in March.

Denmark is now enjoying the fruits of that trust: the highest vaccination coverage in the European Union after Malta, which is enabling the phase-out of COVID-19 restrictions while maintaining a low disease burden.

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Brostrom continues to embrace clear and direct communication as he prepares for a potential winter surge. To improve vaccination take up in Copenhagen’s Islamic community, for instance, he took his message to three mosques.

“Immediately after the Friday prayer in the largest mosque in Denmark the imam, the prayer leader, gave me the microphone and I had the opportunity to address the people,” Brostrom said over Zoom. “That never happened in our country before.”

New COVID-19 cases in the nation of 5.8 million people have averaged fewer than 900 a day for the past month, while just over 200 deaths were recorded during the previous six months. Since late April, Denmark has gradually opened restaurants and sporting arenas. A mask mandate was lifted in June.

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As of Friday, Danes no longer have to present their so-called corona passports at public events — the last of its pandemic restrictions.

Denmark’s approach is a positive sign for many countries ramping up vaccinations in the hope of returning life to normal despite the emergence of the more contagious Delta variant. The strain is dominant in Denmark as well.

“Denmark is a great role model,” said Catherine Bennett, chair in epidemiology at Melbourne’s Deakin University. “They have brought cases down remarkably consistently even as they have begun stepping out and eased controls.”

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3:55 p.m.

Not authorized to prevent or treat COVID-19, Ivermectin may cause serious health problems, Health Canada says

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3 p.m.

Ontario has administered thousands of third vaccines doses to the immunocompromised

From The Canadian Press:

Ontario has administered thousands of third doses of COVID-19 vaccine to some of the province’s most vulnerable residents and will continue to do so despite the World Health Organization calling for a moratorium on the practice.

The global public health agency this week urged vaccine-rich countries to stop offering third doses for the rest of the year so the shots can be diverted to under-vaccinated countries.

“Based on the recommendation of the chief medical officer of health and health experts, Ontario is offering third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to those at highest risk, providing them with an extra layer of protection against the Delta variant,” said Alexandra Hilkene, a spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott.

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The added shots offer extra protection against COVID-19 to immunocompromised patients, such as transplant recipients, people receiving treatment for blood cancers, and those who have received an anti-CD20 agent.

The COVID-19 vaccine is not as effective in those people, she said, and a third dose helps level the playing field for them.

“Evidence also shows that several months after receiving two COVID-19 vaccine doses, the immune response in residents who live in long-term care homes wanes significantly compared to the general population,” Hilkene said.

She said the province had administered more than 14,500 such doses as of Tuesday night.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations on Friday recommended that people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised get a course of three shots of vaccine.

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“This is not unusual for immunocompromised groups, where we often recommend different vaccine schedules to help them achieve better protection,” Dr. Shelley Deeks, committee chair, said in a statement.

“This is different from a booster dose, which would be used to boost an immune response that has waned over time.”

The panel is still studying the need for third doses in other groups, including long-term care residents.

The advice comes as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues roiling Ontario.

2:15 p.m.

Vaccines for children under 12 will be reviewed rapidly, U.S. regulators say

From the Bloomberg news agency:

COVID-19 vaccines for younger children will be vetted as quickly as possible once drugmakers seek authorization for them, U.S. regulators said, vowing a swift review amid concern about the infection risks faced by kids.

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Currently, Americans 12 and older are eligible to receive a vaccine. But the recent surge in infections fueled by the Delta variant and the start of a new school year have increased calls for younger children to be immunized.

The Food and Drug Administration is “prepared to complete its review as quickly as possible, likely in a matter of weeks rather than months,” Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Peter Marks, the director of the agency’s Center for Biologics Research and Evaluation, said in a statement on Friday.

“We know there have been questions and public commentary on the process surrounding vaccines for young children, so we think it’s important to share information about the process and the necessary considerations involved to provide greater clarity to the public about this effort,” the officials said.

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To date, none of the three companies whose vaccines have been cleared in the U.S. have sought authorization for their use in younger kids. Regulators’ ability to rapidly assess the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for those under age 12 will depend on “the quality and timeliness of the submissions from manufacturers,” Woodcock and Marks said.

President Joe Biden said in a speech at the White House Thursday outlining new measures to curb the pandemic that the government would balance the need to carefully vet a vaccine against the urgent situation created by the recent outbreak.

“We can’t take shortcuts with that scientific work, but I’ve made it clear I will do everything within my power to support the FDA with any resource it needs to continue to do this as safely and as quickly as possible,” he said.

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2:10 p.m.

Coroner says she feels for families of Herron residents

Coroner Géhane Kamel said her heart went out to families of residents of CHSLD Herron for what they were hearing, Friday morning, as the inquest continued into the dire situation at the long-term care facility during the pandemic’s first wave.

Read our full story, by T’Cha Dunlevy.

1:40 p.m.

Anti-vax protests outside schools are ‘unacceptable,’ Legault says

Stay away from schools.

That was Premier François Legault’s message Friday to anti-vaccination protesters who have taken to congregating outside high schools, trying to convince young people not to get vaccinated and not to wear masks.

“It’s unacceptable to see the anti-vaxxers getting our children involved in their fight,” Legault told reporters in Quebec City.

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“Please, get our children out of this debate.”

He said he has asked Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault to ensure that security is increased around schools.

He made the comments after protests were held outside at least two east-end Montreal schools in recent days. (See items below, timestamped 10:40 a.m. and 12:40 p.m.)

An anti-vax protest was held today during the lunch break outside École secondaire Louis-Joseph-Papineau in Montreal’s St-Michel neighbourhood.

Via Twitter, Mayor Valérie Plante condemned the event, at which students were encouraged to not wear masks and to not get vaccinated.

“To bully children like this is absolutely despicable,” Plante said. “Our team will absolutely not tolerate the behaviour of these individuals, and we are in contact with Montreal police.”

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Legault was also asked about rising case counts and hospitalizations in Quebec.

“I am concerned,” the premier said.

“And that’s why we took precautions. That’s why we made vaccines mandatory for health care workers. That’s why we put in place the (vaccine) passport. That’s why we require children to have masks in schools.

“I think those measures will limit the number of hospitalizations.”

He noted that the situation in Quebec “is getting worse,” but is “not as bad as in the United States or Europe.”

He added: “And the vast majority of people in hospitals (in Quebec) are people who are not vaccinated. So please, the 12 per cent who didn’t get at least one dose, get your dose.”

1:20 p.m.

Live: Legault speaks to reporters

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1:20 p.m.

Saskatchewan reinstates COVID-19 isolation requirements, bolsters testing and tracing

The Saskatchewan government is bolstering its public health measures as the province faces some of the highest COVID-19 numbers in Canada, The Canadian Press reports.

To alleviate pressure on the healthcare system, the government says it is reinstating mandatory isolation requirements for people who test positive for COVID-19 and expanding testing and contact tracing.

Unvaccinated residents will also need to self-isolate if they come in contact with a positive case, but fully vaccinated people will not face the same requirement.

To expand surge capacity in Saskatchewan hospitals, the government says there will be a reduction in non-critical and elective surgeries and procedures.

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The province says it won’t bring in a government-mandated vaccine passport, but notes it is working on a policy for all Saskatchewan Health Authority employees to show proof of immunization or a negative COVID-19 test.

There were 3,416 active cases in the province Thursday — making it the highest rate of cases per capita in the country.

12:40 p.m.

Five federal leaders unite to urge Canadians to get vaccinated

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12:30 p.m.

Anti-vax, anti-mask protesters are outside an east-end Montreal school

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11:30 a.m.

Video: Federal health officials provide pandemic update

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11:30 a.m.

Update on Quebec’s vaccination campaign

11:30 a.m.

Updated charts: Quebec cases, deaths

11:25 a.m.

Immunocompromised people should be offered additional mRNA dose – national committee

Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization today recommended that moderately to severely immunocompromised people be offered an additional dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) to help enhance their immune response.

Quebec’s vaccination committee made a similar recommendation last month.

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11:20 a.m.

Charts: Vaccination status of new Quebec cases, hospitalizations

These charts are from today’s pandemic dashboard for Quebec and a tweet by Health Minister Christian Dubé.

Note that Quebec considers someone fully vaccinated seven days after their second dose.

11:05 a.m.

Quebec reports 4 deaths and 879 new cases – most since May

Quebec has recorded 879 new cases of COVID-19, the provincial government announced this morning.

That’s the biggest one-day case count since May.

Four new deaths were reported.

Hospitalizations continue to rise and are at their highest point since mid-June.

Some other key statistics from Quebec’s latest COVID-19 update:

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Since the beginning of the pandemic, Quebec has reported 396,034 cases and 11,301 deaths linked to COVID-19. A total of 378,721 people who have contracted the disease have since recovered.

10:40 a.m.

Roberge asks for increased security after anti-vaccine protest at Montreal school

Education Minister Jean-François Roberge has asked for an increased police presence around schools after anti-vaccine protesters tried to convince teenagers at a Rosemont high school not to get the shot against COVID-19.

Roberge condemned such demonstrations as totally unacceptable.

“Going around schools, instrumentalizing the children, intimidating the children and school personnel is unacceptable,” he told reporters in Quebec City this morning.

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“If someone suspects anything whatsoever, if parents are worried, if the personnel is worried, they can call police forces which will intervene rapidly because we have to protect our children.”

Another protest is reportedly planned for today.

The mysterious death of a 15-year-old girl became a flashpoint between anti-vaccine protesters and a teacher at the girl’s school, École Secondaire Louis Riel.

The girl’s death became a rallying cry for anti-vaccine militants who allege the death was caused by a vaccine against COVID-19. According to La Presse, a group came to the school on Wednesday and became involved in a shouting match with teachers, claiming that the vaccination campaign was responsible for the girl’s death, and that the school was hiding the truth.

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The Coroner’s Office is investigating the girl’s death.

The school board confirmed there had been no vaccination campaign on the day the girl died. The campaign started a day later.

10:10 a.m.

Canada’s unemployment rate falls to 7.1% – lowest since pandemic started

From the Reuters news agency:

Canada added 90,200 jobs in August, slightly below expectations, while the unemployment rate dropped to 7.1 per cent, its lowest point since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday.

Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected a gain of 100,000 jobs and for the unemployment rate to fall to 7.3 per cent. With the August gain, employment is now less than 1 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. Hours worked, however, remain 2.6 per cent below February 2020 levels.

“The first glance is that it should be pretty decent with plus 90 (thousand),” said Andrew Kelvin, chief Canada strategist at TD Securities.

“The concerning bit is that hours worked were little changed through the month of August,” he said. That could be regarded as a disappointment by the Bank of Canada.

Full-time employment rose by 68,500, while part-time employment rose by 21,700. The service sector added 92,900 jobs, driven mostly by accommodation and food services, while goods sector employment fell by a net 2,600 jobs as losses in agriculture and other segments outweighed gains in construction.

10 a.m.

Alberta to move hospital patients to homes, care centres as COVID-19 crisis worsens

Alberta will move more patients to other care settings to free up space in hospitals so overrun with COVID-19 cases that some children’s surgeries, cancer surgeries and transplant operations are being cancelled, The Canadian Press reports.

Dr. Verna Yiu, the president and CEO of Alberta Health Services, says there may be 200 potential patients that could be moved into continuing care in the next week or two.

Yiu said intensive care beds are 130 per cent over capacity, and critically ill patients are being directed to overflow wards.

“We are experiencing significant capacity challenges. We continue to do all that we can to increase capacity, particularly in our ICUs, where pressure on our staff, physicians and resources is intense,” Yiu said Thursday.

Non-emergency surgeries were cut by as much as 60 per cent provincewide last week and the Calgary health zone has cancelled all non-urgent procedures for the rest of the week.

Yiu said some of the delayed surgeries include pediatric operations, transplants, and cancer operations that physicians feel can be put off without risk to the patient.

Alberta has averaged more than 1,000 daily COVID-19 cases for two weeks. There are now 679 people in hospital with the illness, 154 of whom are in intensive care.

9:45 a.m.

Ontario professor on paid leave after refusing to get vaccinated or wear a mask

A philosophy professor at a college affiliated with the University of Western Ontario says she has been put on paid leave and is unable to teach students because of her refusal to get vaccinated, which violates the school’s COVID-19 policy.

Read our full story.

9:45 a.m.

‘Our patience is wearing thin’: Biden slams the unvaccinated, unveils sweeping mandates for workers

President Joe Biden said he’d order all executive branch employees, federal contractors and millions of health-care workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, and that his administration would issue rules requiring large private employers to mandate shots or testing.

Read our full story.

9:15 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 epidemiological update.

9:15 a.m.

A guide to Quebec’s COVID-19 vaccine passport

Quebec’s vaccine passport is mandatory for people 13 and older who want to access services and activities deemed non-essential by the provincial government, including bars, restaurants, gyms, festivals and sporting events.

Though the passport came into effect Sept. 1, no penalties will be issued for the first two weeks. Quebecers will be able to use a smartphone app to prove their vaccination status or simply carry their QR code on paper.

Quebecers can download the app from Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

We have published two guides to the passports – one looks at how to download and set up the app, and another answers key questions about the system, including how, when and why.

You can find more information on the Quebec government’s website – one page has details on how the system works, and another has a list of the places where a vaccine passport will be required.

9:15 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.

Quebecers can also visit walk-in AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer vaccine clinics.

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:

9:15 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.

9:15 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.

8:30 a.m.

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