Living environments for the elderly: Confusion over raising the obligation to wear a mask

The government, Dr. Horacio Arruda and the Ministry of Health repeatedly contradicted Friday about the date when residents of living environments for fully vaccinated elderly people would be able to see each other without wearing a mask.

• Read also: Flexibility series for elderly housing

At the time of announcing a series of flexibilities for these institutions (CHSLD, RPA, RI), the National Director of Public Health, D^s Horacio Arruda first said that users who have received two doses of the vaccine for at least three weeks will be able to see each other without a mask from next Monday.

Legault’s government dismantling plan plans to relax the rules surrounding the wearing of masks in the context of private gatherings of people who have received two doses of the vaccine, but only from June 25.

Dr. said.^s Arruda, Friday, on resilience in nursing homes.

The information was then validated by the Ministry of Health, via email, which determined that this easing would take effect from June 7.

Fifth press conference

Except that this information was actually inaccurate, answered the office of the Minister in charge of Seniors, Margaret Bliss. Note that the latter was present along with d^s Arruda Friday to announce.

Press Secretary Jean-Charles del Ducheteau confirmed that older residents will have to wait until June 25 to see each other without a mask even if they have received two doses of the vaccine for more than three weeks.

“We are trying to work according to established procedures,” he added [dans les différents paliers d’alerte]’, Bina.

We say in the Cabinet that we apologize to Dr. Arruda because it was his fifth press conference this week, hence the error in his answers to journalists’ questions.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health, Marie-Helen Emmond, replied, “There may have been a little bit of confusion with what Dr Arruda said.”

Another relaxation

Among other measures announced by Quebec on Friday that will take effect from June 7, residents of living environments for the elderly will be able to receive nine people at a time in areas at the green alert level.

In the yellow alert level, it is allowed to receive people from another place of residence, taking into account the living capacity of the environment (for example: room, rental unit).

In the orange alert level, one person at a time can go into a living environment to visit a senior.

Across the province, it will no longer be necessary to schedule visits and visitors will be allowed to join residents during meals under certain conditions that will be set according to alert levels.

Many recreational activities may also be resumed at RPAs depending on the health measures permitted for the general population according to alert levels.

Please note that in all these situations the wearing of a mask and a distance of two meters must continue to be respected.

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