1) So many times in this #pandemic, people have held out hope that the end may be near, only for those hopes to be dashed. Think of how many times Premier François Legault has said he could see the light at the end of the tunnel (“On voit enfin la lumière au bout du tunnel”).
2) But in this short thread, please let me indulge in a sliver of hope. At least for one day. First, 39% of Quebec’s population above the age of 5 has received a third vaccine dose — up from 17% on Jan. 1. So for those who are vaccine hesitant, I plead for you to get your shot. 
3) We know that the number of #COVID cases is not a reliable indicator because Quebec is no longer testing adequately for the #coronavirus. A better indicator are ICU stays, which have dipped to a net 273 from 286 a week ago.
4) More accurate still in gauging the severity of the 5th wave is the number of daily #COVID deaths. On that score, the latest mortality wave is still higher than the one last January. But there are faint signs this wave may be plateauing. Please consult the chart below.
5) Clearly, it’s far too early to claim, “Mission Accomplished,” à la George W. in 2003. The trend seems to be going in the right direction. But at the same time, Quebec hasn’t yet assessed the impact from the reopening of schools under highly questionable conditions.
6) No, I have not drunk the Kool-Aid. I’m merely highlighting the paramount importance of vaccination in this 5th wave. End of thread. My Twitter comparison between Quebec and the #COVID free-for-all of Florida will come later this afternoon.
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