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A return to the good old days before the coronavirus pandemic is not just around the corner. There will be no return to normal in Quebec for months, perhaps even longer, health officials say.

As long as there is no vaccine against COVID-19 — which could take a year — it will be necessary to keep “at least some measures” in force, Quebec’s Health Ministry said during a technical briefing for journalists on Monday.

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An infectious-disease specialist at the briefing said that without a vaccine, there must treatments for those who are ill, and complications and deaths can be expected. If we want to avoid overwhelming the hospital network, some measures to contain the spread of coronavirus will be necessary, the specialist said.

Montreal

Graphs prepared for the briefing revealed the progression of the virus into different regions of Quebec. As of March 26, the vast majority of cases were linked to travel or another identifiable case — except in Montreal and the Eastern Townships.