MRCS within the Estrie region want out of the red zone
The Brome-missisquoi and Haute-yamaska MRCS are asking the Quebec government to be considered separate from Estrie hot spots and returned to an orange zone, citing low COVID-19 statistics in those areas.
The Brome-missisquoi and Haute-yamaska MRCS are asking the Quebec government to be considered separate from Estrie hot spots and returned to an orange zone, citing low COVID-19 statistics in those areas.
The two MRCS, which include the regional health sectors of la Pommeraie and La Hauteyamaska, sent out a joint press release emphasizing the excellent performance of the population in respecting the public health directives concerning COVID-19 in those areas and asking the government to recognize their efforts.
“It is remarkable to see how well the population, merchants and businesses respect the safety instructions. Recent data shows that the situation in Bromemissisquoi and the Haute-yamaska is calm and reassuring. I would like to congratulate everyone for their efforts,” commented Bromemissisquoi Prefect Patrick Melchior.
“I ask all our fellow citizens to maintain their efforts to distance themselves from society, to continue wearing their face coverings and to continue avoiding gatherings. I also invite everyone to go and get vaccinated, because it is through vaccination that we will be able to collectively stop the progression of COVID-19 and thus envisage a return to normal life,” added Haute-yamaska Prefect Paul Sarrazin.
The two prefects want National Director of Public Health, Dr. Horacio Arruda, to recognize the efforts of the population of the western sub-region of the Estrie and demonstrate this by allowing the return of the two MRCS to the orange zone as quickly as possible.
According to a press release, the very favourable data as well as the imminent passage of the Montérégie to the orange zone should be taken into consideration for a rapid return of the two MRCS to an orange zone, for the greater happiness of restaurant owners, gym and bar owners, students and the entire population.
A resolution to that effect was adopted on Monday, May 10 at a special meeting of the Bromemissisquoi MRC administrative committee.
The resolution (206-0521) points to the strong support of the population in Brome-missisquoi and the Haute-yamaska in following public health measures, demonstrated by the recent excellent daily statistics on cases of COVID-19 for the two regions.
It also highlights that the two regions have been able to maintain low case numbers despite their geographical proximity to the red zone in the Montérégie and despite the increase in cases of COVID-19 in the Granit MRC and the City of Sherbrooke.
Based on the negative impact on business closures, the acceleration of the vaccination campaign and the fact that the government, on occasion, has fragmented health and social services regions by classifying MRCS of different colours, the resolution asks that Bromemissisquoi and Haute-yamaska return to an orange zone as soon as possible.