As Montreal—and other regions in red zones like it—approach the date of October 28, people are left to wonder if red zone restrictions will be lifting at all in the next week.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's going to be the case.
In a press conference yesterday, Quebec Premier François Legault said that the province's grappling with caseloads and deaths "remains worrisome", and that "chances are low" that businesses such as restaurants and bars will open.
"Restaurants are not responsible for closing," he told reporters during the conference. "I know many of them that did what they needed to do in order to make sure that everybody respected the rules," he said, "but what we see is we have to reduce the risk of contact."
"When someone is going to a restaurant—even before and after going to the restaurant—there's a risk of contact... we cannot afford to continue having about 1,000 new cases every day."
"We need to do something, and we have to send a message. I understand that they are not happy."
The government is expected make an announcement early next week, Legault said, but he did note that he sees a risk in increasing the spread were businesses like restaurants and bars to reopen.
On the same day, 20 new deaths were reported in the province, and indeed, there have been 1,000 new cases per day over the past three weeks—that's 122 new cases per one million population yesterday. While they are plateauing in the province, the administration regards it as too deadly of a level. "The second wave is here, the second wave is strong," Legault said.
Meanwhile, restaurateurs and bar owners have been left largely frustrated, having implemented a myriad of changes to their businesses in preparation of the previous reopening date of June 22 this year.
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