Members of Quebec's provincial police force talk to the driver of a recreational vehicle near the border of the United States in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, south of Montreal, Saturday, March 28, 2020.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
The Quebec government is moving to protect some of the province’s more remote regions from the spread of COVID-19 by setting up checkpoints to block non-essential travel.
Deputy premier Genevieve Guilbault announced the measure Saturday as health officials reported nearly 2,500 people in the province have tested positive for the disease.
On March 13, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told any Canadians abroad “it is time for you to come home.”
Who needs to self-isolate:
- The government asked all Canadians returning from any international travel to self-isolate.
- Anyone who has come in close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19 must also self-isolate.
What is self-isolation:
Self-isolation requires you to stay at home, monitor for symptoms, and avoid contact with other people for 14 days, according to the Government of Canada website.
Expectations for those in self-isolation:
- Stay home from work and school; avoid public transit;
- Have supplies such as groceries dropped off at your door;
- Keep a two-metre distance from other people;
- Stay clear of elderly people and anyone with compromised immune systems or chronic conditions.
And some tips to maintain your health and wellness:
- Give your days some structure: Shower and put on jeans, says Lia Grainger. If you work from home, make a separate space for work. Try meditation.
- Don’t just binge Netflix; lift a little: Paul Landini suggests body-weight exercises, or skipping rope to get in some cardio.
- When you do need a break, try one of these 10 books that offer lessons from past pandemics or consult Barry Hertz’s guide to the best Canadian streaming options.
Additional Globe resources:
- If you think may have the new coronavirus, here’s what to do.
- Healthy pantry staples to stock up on and other items to purchase.
- How to manage your anxiety and keep up a fitness routine.
- A visual guide to how you can help “flatten the curve.”
Need more answers? Email audience@globeandmail.com
She said police checkpoints would be established on major roads in and out of those areas as of Saturday afternoon.
Quebec health authorities say there are now 2,498 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province, and four additional deaths were reported Saturday, bringing the total to 22 deaths.
The public health order applies primarily to eastern and northern Quebec, extending to the Lower-St-Lawrence, Abitibi-Temiscamingue, North Shore, Northern Quebec, Nunavik, Cree Territory in James Bay, Gaspe-Iles-de-la-Madeleine and Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean.
Guilbault told the daily briefing in Quebec City populations in those areas are deemed to be more at risk of COVID-19.
She said if people attempting to enter or leave the regions “are not an essential service, if they are not going for health reasons or for humanitarian reasons, they will be sent home.”
Quebec provincial police have also set up checkpoints near the Canada-U.S. border to intercept snowbirds coming back to Quebec to ensure they understand there’s a 14-day quarantine in place.
The province has identified parts of Montreal and the Eastern Townships as being hotspots for spread of the virus, with Montreal declaring a health emergency on Friday afternoon at the behest of provincial health authorities.
Guilbault assured that the situation is under control in the province’s largest city, but said the measure allows to act more quickly to avoid a worst-case scenario.
Montreal’s public health director, Dr. Mylene Drouin, said in a tweet that Montreal’s special measures would be made public on Sunday.
Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s director of public health, said the 22 people who’ve died came from different areas of the province and were mostly older.
All were over 60 years old, three cases involved people in their 70s, and most were between 80 and 89 years old, he said.
In two cases, the victims were older than 90, and most had other health conditions.
The province reported that 164 people remain hospitalized and 57 are in intensive care.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 28, 2020.