1) Montreal authorities are alarmed by a sharp rise in cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in densely populated neighborhoods, where the positivity rate in the screening of COVID-19 samples has soared to as high as 25 per cent. Click on the link below. montrealgazette.com/news/local-new…
2) The chart below appears to show that Montreal has flattened the second wave in the #pandemic, thanks to public health restrictions and a #COVID19 vaccination blitz. This, of course, is truly welcome news, but the chart belies the lurking variants. 
3) As I reported in my column in the @mtlgazette tonight, the variants are no longer proliferating in schools but in densely populated neighborhoods, too. Although authorities are quick to close schools with variant cases, what’s their plan for Montreal’s neighborhoods?
4) Health Minister Christian Dubé discussed the vaccine rollout Tuesday and Premier François Legault hinted Montreal’s 8 p.m. curfew will be re-evaluated as a result of the springing forward of daylight saving time Sunday. But what’s the plan for the variants in the community?
5) The last thing anyone wants in Quebec is the scenario now playing out in Europe, with both the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants driving surges in a number of countries, despite mass vaccinations. Please take a look at the chart below by the Washington Post.
6) Schools reopened on Monday after the March break, and it’s likely that #COVID19 variant cases will start going back up in this sector, especially in classrooms without air purifiers. What’s more, the curfew may be set at a later hour next week and then lifted.
7) Israel, with a population of 9 million, has administered more than 5 million doses to date. Following a precipitous drop in #COVID19 cases, Israel is opening bars and restaurants to those who have received their shots.
8) By comparison, Quebec with a population of 8.57 million, has given more than 581,000 first shots. The comparison with Israel would suggest that Quebec will likely have to remain very prudent for a while yet. End of thread. Please limit your social contacts.
Addendum: Back by popular demand, the @mtlgazette has resumed publishing my daily #COVID19 updates. I will link to them every weekday and add a few tweets each night. And on weekends, I will continue with my Twitter threads.
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