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Quebec public health is reporting a COVID-19 positivity rate of 21.7 per cent in the run up to a fall vaccination campaign.
Health Canada has approved three new COVID vaccines in recent weeks, targeted at the KB.2 subvariant of Omicron. They include Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines and Novavax’s protein-based vaccine.
The 21.7-per-cent COVID positivity rate is up from a low of 2.1 per cent, as reported by Quebec’s public health service.
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Quebecers are still dying from COVID, with 48 deaths from the virus reported in the week of Sept. 15, the most recent week with data available. That week also saw 3,882 new cases, bringing the total to 1,492,002 cases and 20,553 deaths since the onset of the pandemic.
There are currently 1,765 people in Quebec hospitals with or because of COVID infections.
Though the dates of the coming vaccination push are yet to be announced, Quebec’s immunization committee is recommending people from certain vulnerable groups roll up their sleeves. That includes people living in communal environments like CHSLDs, people age 60 and older, people who are immunocompromised, pregnant people, health-care workers and adults living in certain remote areas.
The committee says members from other groups may get the vaccine, but the benefits would be minimal, given the low risk posed to them by the virus.
With files from The Canadian Press
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