Covid-19 situation

[HermanH]

I'm sure that the QC Liberals would be happy to promise $1 million, just to try regaining power and staying in the headlines.

[SnowFlakey]

hmmmm, well the Federal Liberals gave peeps 75+ $500 i think a couple of months ago. But i guess the 70+ or 65+ dont need it as much because they dont have the same expenses. lol Like i mean those people dont eat as much or need clothes or stuff like that. They also dont need haircuts. I dont know how what the Feds are thinking.

I know that its a pipedream to expect $2,000 from the QC Prov Liberals but maybe, just maybe, they can kick some BQ ministers in the butt and maybe something can be done for us.

speaking of which, the registration for the Booster is now open to all in QC.

[SnowFlakey]

And as if we dont have enough to worry about. I heard this morning that theire is a new variant of extreme interest coming out of South Africa. It is being monitored by WHO. Its the never ending saga of the Covid pandemic. Hopefully we can all enjoy Christmas with our families this year. DD had already started planning. The immediate family is 12 people in total but DD is a very kind hearted and generous person and has always invited 2 different families (who have no other relatives) and a friend of our grandson whose parents are divorced and they dont celebrate Christmas. So that makes 19 people in total. So i hope that the QC govt doesnt change anything.

[francine1985]

New Brunswick announced new measures on Monday to slow the spread of COVID-19 as the province reported its first confirmed cases of the Omicron variant.
The province’s chief medical health officer said three cases of the variant have been confirmed, two in the Miramichi health region and one in the Moncton health zone.
Dr. Jennifer Russell said four other cases are directly linked to the first three cases and are also presumed to be the Omicron variant.
The cases are directly linked to a large outbreak of COVID-19 impacting St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., she said.
Premier Blaine Higgs announced several “interim” measures to help slow the spread of the virus, particularly with the Omicron variant now present in the province.

• Students in K-6 will begin their holiday break early. Their last day of classes will be on Friday, Dec. 17.
• Sports and organized activities for all children under the age of 12 are suspended as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13.
• Sporting competitions and games will also be suspended for those aged 12 and over as of 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 13, but practices and skill drills will be allowed as long as they only involve one team at a time and an operational plan is in place.

Several changes will also go into effect for New Brunswick businesses as of 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17

• Entertainment centres, movie theatres, professional sporting events and casinos will have to operate at 50 per cent capacity with two-metre physical distancing.
• Restaurant dine-in will continue but two-metre physical distancing between tables will be required and proof of vaccination will continue to be mandatory.
• Businesses, retail spas, salons and gyms must ensure two-metre distancing at all times.
• Businesses and organizations must take steps to ensure that they do not admit more people than can be safely allowed to maintain two-metre physical distancing.

Higgs warned that further restrictions may be required depending on how the situation changes in the days and weeks ahead.
Public Health reported 100 new cases of COVID-19 and two additional deaths on Monday, along with 69 more recoveries. A breakdown of the new cases was not immediately available.
There are currently 1,048 active cases across the province and 41 people in the hospital with COVID-19, including 14 in an intensive care unit.

[francine1985]

I didn’t even post about it but the last week or two the hospital my mom works in has had Covid outbreaks in multiple areas. They are no longer able to assign her to floors without Covid cases. She’s still not directly working with Covid patients but I’m still worried about her.

[walkonby]

I would never minimize or make light of the entire Covid state we've all been in, but I just wanted to post this lighthearted poem. I thought it shone a light on hope.


A Covid Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, but Covid was here,

So we all had to stay extra cautious this year.

Our masks were all hung by the chimney with care

In case Santa forgot his and needed a spare.

With Covid, we couldn't leave cookies or cake

So we left Santa hand sanitizer to take.


The children were sleeping, the brave little tots

The ones over 5 had just had their first shots,

And mom in her kerchief and me in my cap

Had just settled in for a long winter's nap.

But we tossed and we turned all night in our beds

As visions of variants danced in our heads.

Gamma and Delta and now Omicron

These Covid mutations that go on and on


I thought to myself, "If this doesn't get better,

I'll soon be familiar with every Greek letter".

Then just as I started to drift off and doze

A clatter of noise from the front lawn arose.

I leapt from my bed and ran straight down the stair

I opened the door, and an old gent stood there.

His N 95 made him look pretty weird


But I knew who he was by his red suit and beard.

I kept six feet away but blurted out quick

" What are you doing here, jolly Saint Nick?"

Then I said, "Where's your presents, your reindeer and sleigh ?

Don't you know that tomorrow will be Christmas Day? ".

And Santa stood there looking sad in the snow

As he started to tell me a long tale of woe.

He said he'd been stuck at the North Pole alone

All his white collar elves had been working from home,

And most of the others said "Santa, don't hire us!

We can live off the CERB now, thanks to the virus".

Those left in the toyshop had little to do.

With supply chain disruptions, they could make nothing new.


And as for the reindeer, they'd all gone away.

None of them left to pull on his sleigh.

He said Dasher and Dancer were in quarantine,

Prancer and Vixen refused the vaccine,

Comet and Cupid were in ICU,

So were Donner and Blitzen, they may not pull through.

And Rudolph's career can't be resurrected.

With his shiny red nose, they all think he's infected.


Even with his old sleigh, Santa couldn't go far.

Every border to cross needs a new PCR.

Santa sighed as he told me how nice it would be

If children could once again sit on his knee.

He couldn't care less if they're naughty or nice

But they'd have to show proof that they'd had their shot twice.

But then the old twinkle returned to his eyes.

And he said that he'd brought me a Christmas surprise.

When I unwrapped the box and opened it wide,

Starlight and rainbows streamed out from inside.


Some letters whirled round and flew up to the sky

And they spelled out a word that was 40 feet high.

There first was an H, then an O, then a P,

Then I saw it spelled HOPE when it added the E.

"Christmas magic" said Santa as he smiled through his beard.

Then suddenly all of the reindeer appeared.


He jumped into his sleigh and he waved me good-bye,

Then he soared o'er the rooftops and into the sky.

I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight

"Get your vaccines my friends, Merry Christmas, good-night."

Then I went back to bed and a sweet Christmas dream

Of a world when we'd finished with Covid 19.

[SnowFlakey]

Nice Poem!!

Im sitting here staring at the screen and thinking that this Omicrom situation is a real bummer! Pardon the language, but WHAT THE F.....! Just in time for Christmas. Like in most families, lots of planning has been done for Christmas: the first celebration in almost 2 years! Is this like a big freaking joke!

The QC Public Health is announcing new measures every day. Yesterday they issued the "work from Home ifyou can measure" again. Whats next. Schools are closing, classrooms are closing, work places are closing: all because of outbreaks.

Tomorrow we are getting our Booster shot. im really looking forward to that, not because i like needles but because i think it is necessary to be fully protected. But i think one solution to a serge in mutations would be to send vaccines to the poorer countries so that they can vaccinate their populations. Hopefully this would curb the mutations and maybe, just maybe, stop the spread. Covid will be with us a long time, the govts need to do something to help the poorer countries and not just pour money into them, pour vaccines! Anyway, that my opinion and im stick to it! lol I should call it my rant!

[GatineauGirl]

Nice Poem!!

Im sitting here staring at the screen and thinking that this Omicrom situation is a real bummer! Pardon the language, but WHAT THE F.....! Just in time for Christmas. Like in most families, lots of planning has been done for Christmas: the first celebration in almost 2 years! Is this like a big freaking joke!

The QC Public Health is announcing new measures every day. Yesterday they issued the "work from Home ifyou can measure" again. Whats next. Schools are closing, classrooms are closing, work places are closing: all because of outbreaks.

Tomorrow we are getting our Booster shot. im really looking forward to that, not because i like needles but because i think it is necessary to be fully protected. But i think one solution to a serge in mutations would be to send vaccines to the poorer countries so that they can vaccinate their populations. Hopefully this would curb the mutations and maybe, just maybe, stop the spread. Covid will be with us a long time, the govts need to do something to help the poorer countries and not just pour money into them, pour vaccines! Anyway, that my opinion and im stick to it! lol I should call it my rant!

Have your Christmas plans been changed? I find it confusing, now. The information can be conflicting, at times. The Quebec Government has announced that we, the general public, will be able to get five testing kits per month, at a pharmacy. Will we have to wait in long lines, I wonder...so, yes, " WHAT THE F.....!"
I am not eligible for the booster, yet. I wish they would just open it for everybody.

[SnowFlakey]

GatineauGirl, as of today, Christmas plans havent been changed, but then again we arent hosting. Our DD is hosting and so far her plans havent changed. But that doesnt mean they wont change if the govt says no in home parties. Right now she is having 20 people over: the immediate family and some friends who are alone at Christmas.

Andyou are right, the information can be very conflicting. We just have to follow what is being said by QC public health.

[francine1985]

They’ve changed school end times again today. All k-6 including Ds 2 will have his last day Friday December 17th as announced Monday. Grade 7-8 including Ds1 will now have his last day Tuesday December 21st (instead of the 23rd). High school students will still be going until Thursday December 23rd.

also all k-8 students will be sent home with testing kits to test themselves over Christmas break.

[Lynn49]

GatineauGirl, as of today, Christmas plans havent been changed, but then again we arent hosting. Our DD is hosting and so far her plans havent changed. But that doesnt mean they wont change if the govt says no in home parties. Right now she is having 20 people over: the immediate family and some friends who are alone at Christmas.

Andyou are right, the information can be very conflicting. We just have to follow what is being said by QC public health.

@SnowFlakey , as long as hockey games, Raptor's games etc are being attended, telling families with fully vaccinated members not to gather is ludicrous! No one is going to knock on anyone's door to arrest everyone attending a family dinner. Until every single shop, store, pub, restaurant is closed, telling families they can't be together is just trying to make the govt s look like they're actually doing something, there's no reason to centre-out families.
Wishing your family the best, Snow.

[HermanH]

telling families they can't be together is just trying to make the govt s look like they're actually doing something

Exactly. Look, Look! We're 'DOING' something. Remember to vote for us. We cared.

[Giseledta]

i am frustrated with the situation... honestly i cannot and i am not seeing anyone changing any holiday functions...

my mom did. but honestly, i am not seeing anyone else doing it.... sigh...

we are staying in. not really doing anything. and i am ok with that. i need some down time.. my stress... is .. high...

[SassyAshley]

So far booking a booster in Ontario is next to impossible. I cannot get my Mom appointment and I do not have high hopes when I become eligible on Monday. They need to bring back the mass clinic doing it the way they are right now boosters are going to take forever.

As of right now we have no plans to alternate Christmas plans but it is a day to day situation. If need be I am prepare to pivot to drop off bags for family for Christmas.

[SassyAshley]

New restrictions in Ontario:

Effective Sunday, Dec. 19, indoor social gatherings in Ontario will be restricted to 10 people due to concerns around the rapidly spreading Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Indoor public settings will be limited to 50 per cent capacity, including restaurants, bars, gyms, pharmacies, grocery stores, shopping malls and personal care services. There will also be a 10 person limit per table at restaurants and meeting spaces, and the provincial government is restricting the sale of alcohol after 10:00p.m., prohibiting the consumption of alcohol after 11:00 p.m.
Food and drink service in settings like sporting event, concert venues, theatres, cinemas, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments will be prohibited.
Outdoor gatherings will be restricted to 25 people maximum .