Quebec restricts travel to eight regions, posts police at U.S. border

An empty border crossing is seen leading into Rouses Point, N.Y., at the
U.S.-Canada border crossing in Lacolle on March 19, 2020. CHRISTINNE
MUSCHI / REUTERS

Deputy Premier Genevi�ve Guilbault announced the latest measures at the
government�s daily briefing on the evolution of the crisis as the latest
figures showed a further increase in cases of the new coronavirus in the
province.

The four latest deaths bring the number of fatalities in Quebec to 22,
while the number of confirmed cases jumped by 477 from Friday to Saturday.
Quebec now has 2,498 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Another 6,757 cases were
under investigation as of Saturday.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 also rose from Friday to
Saturday, to 164. Of those, 57 patients are in intensive care.

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With a local state of emergency already declared in Montreal, one of the
province�s �hot spots� for the coronavirus, Guilbault said the government
was now introducing measures to protect northern and eastern regions that
are isolated and are home to a vulnerable population, she said.

As of 4 p.m. Saturday, police installed checkpoints on major roads to
restrict travel to and from eight regions: Bas�Saint-Laurent,
Abitibi�T�miscamingue, C�te-Nord, Nord-du-Qu�bec, Saguenay�Lac-Saint-Jean,
Gasp�sie��les-de-la-Madeleine, Nunavik and Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James.

The police will stop travellers at the checkpoints and allow only people
who are travelling for essential services and for emergencies to get
through, Guilbault said. Emergencies could include humanitarian workers,
such as from the Red Cross, in the event of a flood, she said, offering an
example.
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Quebec public health director Horacio Arruda, who accompanied Guilbault at
the briefing, called the restriction on travel a �filter� that�s aimed at
delaying the spread of COVID-19 to the eight regions.

�They�re regions with more vulnerable people, older, more problems with
diabetes and other (conditions), more at risk than the population in
general,� he said.

Arruda said the 22 deaths from COVID-19 were in different regions of the
province, and all of the victims were over 60 years old. Most were in
their 80s, he said, while two were in their 90s. Another three were in
their 70s.

Most of them with chronic diseases, such as cancer.
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The second measure announced by Guilbault�s Coalition Avenir Qu�bec
government concerns Quebec�s �snowbirds� who are driving across the
province�s border with the U.S.

Border crossings are the jurisdiction of the federal government, however
the provincial government is taking additional steps to ensure residents
crossing back into Quebec at border controls understand its directives to
self-quarantine for 14 days upon returning home, Guilbault said.

The provincial government dispatched police to the Quebec-U.S. border as
of 9 a.m. Saturday, Guilbault said.

Part of their role is to inform returning Quebecers of their obligation to
remain isolated at home for 14 days in case they�re infected with the
coronavirus, she said. That means no excuses for leaving their homes, such
as to buy groceries or to go for a walk, she added.

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At the same time, the police are also collecting information on the
travellers to allow for subsequent follow-ups to ensure they�re obeying
the quarantine period, Guilbault said.

�Right now, our objective is the U.S. border,� she said, when asked by
reporters why Quebec was not setting up similar checkpoints at inter-
provincial borders.

Guilbault didn�t rule out a similar measure for provincial crossings at a
later point. But, she added, the public has been worried about returning
�snowbirds�, or Quebecers who spend winter months in warm places like
Florida. News media have reported isolated incidents of snowbirds who have
violated the 14-day self-quarantine order to visit grocery stores.
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�We�ve noticed there are perhaps people who are not familiar with the
precise directives that must be applied,� Guilbault said. She added: �We
want to do as much as possible to say to a maximum number of people who
cross the border� that there are directives requiring them to self-isolate
for 14 days, �so that no one else will have a reason not to apply them.�

Canada has also now imposed a mandatory quarantine on anyone entering the
country, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms of COVID-19.
Violators face the prospects of steep fines or even jail time if caught.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced over a week ago irregular migrants
crossing on foot from the U.S. will be turned away when they reach Canada.

Guilbault led the daily briefing on Saturday to give Premier Fran�ois
Legault, she said, �a well-deserved day off.�

The Parti Qu�b�cois endorsed the CAQ government�s decision to ban non-
essential travel in the eight regions. In a press release, the PQ�s
interim leader, Pascal B�rub�, said the ban was in the interest of people
living in the regions, far from urban centres, notably because they have
less access to medical personnel and equipment than cities like Montreal
and Quebec City.