Montreal’s public health authorities opposed the COVID-19 curfew imposed by the state last December. This is because there is little data on its effectiveness and the most vulnerable government documents are concerned.
According to an internal document released by the Ministry of Health, Montreal authorities have expressed concern about limited scientific data to support the curfew as an effective means of reducing COVID-19 infections. City officials also raised concerns that pandemic fatigue, the impact on vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic violence, and curfew could encourage people to take dangerous actions.
“Because of the lack of solid data on effectiveness and the free access to information on demonstrating incidental effects, (Director of Public Health, Montreal) recommends the implementation of alternative measures to impose a curfew,” the document said. Stated.
An ethical review was prepared by the city’s health authorities during a violent wave of new coronavirus Omicron variants while the Ministry of Health was considering what restrictions to impose to reduce infection.
Radio-Canada was initially ethically reviewed by the Montreal authorities through access to information requests, but the entire content has been edited. Following protests from opposition and journalists, the Ministry of Health released a full review late Thursday.
Quebec’s Liberal Party leader Dominique Anglade tweeted on Friday that Prime Minister Francois Legault said the document was “unreliable.” To make matters worse, he does not tell the truth to the Quebécois. The latest curfew is not a public health recommendation and refused to answer our question in the midst of his usual lack of transparency. “
Health Minister Christian Dubé counterattacked shortly afterwards, tweeting that Anglade’s comment was “wrong, wrong, and even more wrong.” It was from public health that Omicron was attacking everywhere throughout December and was advised to issue a curfew. “
Lego imposed a curfew on December 31, 2021 to ban Quebecs from leaving their homes between 10 pm and 5 am. He lifted his curfew on January 17, two weeks later. And May. Quebec was the only state to ban citizens from leaving their homes at night as a way to control COVID-19 infections.
The document also shows that Dr. Horacio Arruda, a former state director of public health, was looking for justification just hours before the curfew in December was announced.
“Horacio wants you and your team … to provide him with curfew-related discussions in anticipation of questions from journalists at a press conference at 5 pm,” said State Public Health from the Aruda office. Read the email to December 30, 2021 Institute.
The email called for research and examples of what is happening elsewhere, “everything was presented in a rigorous debate.”
Eric Litvyak, Vice President of Science, replied to this email, stating that “there was no existing analysis” specifically dealing with the curfew, and cannot create a curfew.
Meanwhile, in Quebec, COVID-19 reported on Friday that another 16 people died and 51 patients were hospitalized for the disease. After 88 people have been hospitalized and 139 have been discharged in the last 24 hours, 1,313 have been hospitalized with COVID-19. The number of people in the intensive care unit has increased by 4 to 80.
Earlier this week, Quebec announced that it would lift most public health orders, including indoor capacity limits and vaccine passport requirements, on March 12, two days before it was previously announced.
According to the government, the obligation to mask in all public places except public transport will be lifted by mid-April at the latest.
Morgan Raleigh
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