Quebecers abroad to be tested for COVID prior to boarding return flights

In a press conference this afternoon, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé expressed concern about the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in the province. With an average of 2,300 cases in recent days, and “shocking” media reports about Quebecers vacationing down south despite public health recommendations to avoid travel — and not wearing masks or distancing — Dubé said he dreads seeing a repeat of what happened after Spring Break 2020. To help curb the spread of COVID-19 by these vacationing Quebecers (there will be roughly 3,000 incoming travellers according to Dubé), the province is asking the federal government to immediately implement mandatory COVID-19 testing for Quebecers at airports prior to boarding their return flights, as well as rapid tests at domestic airports upon their return. The province is also insisting that there be a fast-track of an intensification of follow-up during the 14-day quarantine for travellers, something that the federal government promised to do in early January.

“The situation is very worrisome. We are not heading in the right direction. There are people dying every day. Hospitals are getting dangerously close to their capacity. I said that if things continued to go this way, we would hit a wall in January and we’re getting close to that wall now.”
—Christian Dubé

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