Respiratory disease

Recently, various strategies have been recommended in a number of jurisdictions regarding the time interval between the two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) has asked the Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec (CIQ) to explain the basis of these different intervals. The MSSS also inquired whether the CIQ has maintained the recommendations that it put forward in a recent scientific notice (1), in particular, the recommendation to offer an initial dose of the vaccine to the greatest number of individuals belonging to the first six priority groups¹ before administering the second dose.

Response

Data on certain approved vaccines

The Phase 3 trials on COVID-19 vaccines were carried out in a context where the objective was to very quickly obtain protection that meets the authorization criteria of the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization (…

As the SARS-CoV-2 virus drives a worldwide pandemic, our scientific understanding of how it is transmitted is constantly evolving. There is an ongoing debate on various aspects of this process, particularly aerosol transmission. In part, this debate reflects a lack of consensus on the definitions of the terms used to describe the transmission of infectious agents via the respiratory tract.

This text presents a review of the scientific literature focused on the aerosol mode of transmission, but also includes information about other modes of transmission. Authored by a multidisciplinary team, the report seeks to inform the decision-making process of public health authorities, teams of experts, ministerial policymakers, and health and social services facility managers.

Until now, infection prevention and control recommendations have been based on a dichotomous approach, i.e., infection transmission via droplets vs. airborne routes. Yet, the growing body of knowledg…

This support document was written at the request of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) to support the work of the members of the group of scientific and technical experts focusing on the use of ventilation in healthcare and educational institutions during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this document is, more specifically, to take stock of the current knowledge on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in building interiors and to develop a portrait of the role that ventilation in indoor environments may play in a pandemic context. As the situation and knowledge surrounding SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) are rapidly developing, the information provided in this document is subject to updates.

This document is not an exhaustive review of the scientific literature. The technical terms used herein are those generally used by the cited authors, and the terminology used is adapted to the conventions for use defined by the Ventilation Working Group of the In…

Context

The number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to COVID-19 have been increasing in Quebec since August 2020. In addition to the suffering of those infected and their friends and family, caring for patients and their contacts creates a significant burden for healthcare workers, who are frequently infected, threatening the integrity of our healthcare system. The way the pandemic develops in the coming months will depend on the population’s compliance with the recommendations to minimize contacts, maintain physical distancing, wear a mask, and wash hands. It will also depend on the general measures enacted by the government. Unless there is dramatic improvement in the population’s compliance or there are much stricter measures implemented, we cannot expect a swift decline in the weekly number of new hospitalizations and deaths without vaccination. In the short term, the impact of vaccination will depend on the targeted groups, the vaccination coverage within th…

During the first months of the pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 virus infected more than 50,000 people in Québec, with more than 6,000 of them requiring hospitalization and more than 5,000 of the cases resulting in death. The identification of risk factors associated with increased severity of COVID-19 was quickly identified as a research priority in countries affected by the pandemic. The presence of pre-existing medical conditions in COVID-19 cases was soon identified as a risk factor for complications that could lead to death (Guan et al., 2020; Reilev et al., 2020; Williamson et al., 2020). Quickly, the COVID-19 surveillance and monitoring team at the Institut national de santé publique du Québec was able to document pre-existing medical conditions for all cases of COVID-19 confirmed by a laboratory or epidemiological link in Québec.

Several studies conducted primarily in Asia identified that several chronic diseases including hypertension, respiratory d…

The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and social repercussions have highlighted the social and health inequalities that make Indigenous communities particularly vulnerable to the pandemic and its impacts.

In response to COVID-19, representatives from Indigenous communities and organizations have quickly taken measures and applied their knowledge to protect the people in their communities, especially elders and individuals with chronic illnesses. The strategies used are based on known community resilience factors: frequent and appropriate communication, strong local leadership, protection of and access to the territory, a response tailored to the needs of the community, and maintenance of family and social ties.

Focusing on community resilience may be a promising avenue for protecting the health and well-being of Indigenous people in Québec and around the world. Community resilience will be fostered by actions that:

• Consider the health of Indigeno…

Context

• What is food insecurity (FI)? Food insecurity is inadequate or uncertain access to healthy food to support a healthy and active life. It is mainly associated with a lack of financial resources.
• Has the pandemic exacerbated FI? Yes. At the onset of the pandemic in April 2020, a reported 26% of Québec adults were living in households experiencing FI. By the end of May 2020, this rate decreased to 15%. By comparison, this rate was 11% in 2015-16, based on a survey using a different methodology.
• Who is most affected? Households of four or more people, with children, or with members who have lost their jobs as well as people living alone and young adults have reported higher FI since the start of the pandemic.
• How does the COVID-19 pandemic influence FI? The prevention measures associatedwith the pandemic, as well as their consequences such as i…

This information sheet replaces publication 2962:
Reception of Temporary Foreign Workers to Support Agri-Food Activities

These measures apply when community transmission is confirmed by public health authorities. Based on current knowledge, it is known that COVID-19 can be transmitted by presymptomatic, symptomatic, and asymptomatic carriers of the disease. Preventive measures are therefore recommended at all times.

The prevention measures recommended by the government for the general population and the basic recommendations for all workplaces (in French only) apply, unless more restrictive measures are specified. These recommendations are based on the hierarchy of COVID-19 control measures (updated in French only).

Special attention must be given…

The Canadian Quarantine Act provides exemptions from quarantine upon arrival in Canada for temporary foreign workers who are deemed by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada to provide an essential service. It is the responsibility of the host company to verify that the temporary foreign workers it employs meet the exemption criteria. Workers may only be exempt from quarantine if they have no symptoms upon arrival. Despite this exemption, companies and the ETFWs they bring in as employees, subcontractors, or clients must still comply with provincial health measures. Although ETFWs are exempt from federal quarantine, they must still minimize their contact with others for their safety and the safety of their coworkers.

• ​Since they are not placed in preventive isolation, unknowingly infected ETFWs could transmit SARS-CoV-2 to anyone they come into contact with. To prevent this, ETFWs must avoid all social contact during the first 14 days of…