Public Health invites the thousands of people who will travel to see Pope Francis in Quebec or Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré to wear a mask and to “be extra careful”.

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“Even when events take place outside, large and dense crowds can be a major vector of contagion,” says the medical assistant to the director of public health for the Capitale-Nationale, Dr. Jacques Girard.

The CIUSSS also intends to distribute disinfectant solutions and procedural masks to boarding sites for departure to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré on Thursday.

“We strongly recommend that people use them, especially when they are unable to observe appropriate physical distancing,” says Dr. Girard.

As the seventh wave of the pandemic continues, the Public Health Department of the Capitale-Nationale reminded that only asymptomatic people, without contact with a case or not presenting a positive test should go to the assembly sites, whether indoors or outdoors.

“I invite all participants to act in a very responsible way. […] If you have symptoms, isolate yourself immediately, making sure you have access to rapid screening tests, ”says Dr. Girard.

Last week, Dr. Luc Boileau, national director of public health, had also invited the population to be careful during the major events of the summer season, while the Festival d'été de Québec generated several cases of COVID- 19.

He recommended wearing the mask as needed, especially for people at risk.

“Even if we are outside, being very close means that we can catch it. In a festival, where we are all packed, the mask is not a bad idea”, he argued.