1) As Quebec boosted public gatherings from 50 to 250 people Monday, Kahnawà:ke chose not to go along, expressing misgivings about the reopening plan amid the #COVID19 resurgence. In this thread, I will examine the government’s continued confused messaging in the #pandemic.

2) The Mohawk Band Council also announced it was postponing its decision to reopen bars on Aug. 10. Thus, Kahnawà:ke has been acting more prudently in the #pandemic than the provincial government, which permitted the reopening of bars on June 25 despite the concerns of experts.

3) “The rationale for the decision to postpone is based on current statistics that indicate there is an increase in the weekly average number of new cases in Québec and it is anticipated it will continue to rise,” the Band Council explained in a statement. Is Quebec listening?

4) Meanwhile, the online petition against 250-person gatherings launched by Montreal surgeon David Zukor keeps gathering more names. On Friday night, 1,300 people signed it. By Monday night, the total jumped to more than 6,700. https://www.change.org/p/quebec-government-don-t-allow-gatherings-of-250-people?recruiter=12089694&recruited_by_id=bd7e9800-48a7-0130-b3a4-3c764e04873b&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard

5) This is where the mixed messaging arises. On Monday, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé ( @cdube_sante) pleaded with construction workers returning from vacation to get tested for the #coronavirus if they think they may have been “less attentive” during their holidays.

6) Yet Quebec’s top public health doctor, @ArrudaHoracio, defended proceeding with much larger public gatherings, saying the risk is “very acceptable.” In contrast, more populous Ontario — with far fewer #COVID hospitalizations and deaths — is sticking with a limit of 100 people.

7) It is essential in the #pandemic to rally public support, especially as Quebec is set to reopen schools in less than a month. Yet the examples of Kahnawà:ke and the online petition signed by many physicians shows some Quebecers are beginning to lose trust in their government.

8) There are tentative signs Montreal's resurgence may be plateauing, as the orange line in the chart below shows. The city reported 43 new #COVID cases, down from 92 on July 21. But authorities are still not providing neighborhood breakdowns because of "technical difficulties."

9) The metropolis posted one new #COVID fatality on Monday, raising its death toll to 3,444, That compares with 2,778 deaths for all of Ontario. Behind each of those stats was someone who was loved and who will be missed. End of thread, and please be kind to one another.