COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know this weekend

• Quebec reported 101 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and one death in the past 24 hours.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been376,530confirmed casesand11,239people have died.
• There are 67people in hospital (a decrease of four) including 21 in intensive care (no change from the previous day).
• 94,624doses of vaccine were administered in the past 24 hoursfor a total of 10,469,697doses administered in Quebec.
• 83per cent of the eligible population in the province (age 12 and up) have received one dose of vaccine, and 59per cent have received two doses.

COVID-19 data is no longerupdated by Quebec's Health Ministry on weekends or on public holidays.

Quebec's health minister told young people Friday their decisions to get vaccinated will make the difference as to whether the government will impose a vaccine passport should cases rise in the fall.

The percentage of Quebecers vaccinated with two doses rises by one percentage point each day, Christian Dubsaid on Twitter. But the percentage of people aged 18 to 29 who have had a single dose remains stuck at 70 per cent, he lamented.

The government's target is to have 75 per cent of people in every age bracket fully vaccinated by the end of August.

"Young people must make a difference if we want to avoid using the vaccination passport," Dubtweeted. "The variant is already present in Quebec," he said. "The time is now."

If cases continue to climb come September, the Quebec government says it will impose a vaccine passport system that would require people to prove they are fully vaccinated to access non-essential services, such as festivals, bars and gyms.

Registration for COVID-19 vaccine lottery

Vaccinated Quebecerscan now register for the COVID-19 vaccine lottery onthe Clic Sant portal, though the website has had issues since it was supposed to launch at 8 a.m. Sunday.

The province is holding draws for $2 million in cash prizes and bursaries this summer in a bid to get as many people vaccinated as possible before September.

Starting Aug. 6, weekly draws will be held. Those over 18 could winup to $1 million in cash, and bursaries of up to $20,000 will be awarded to lucky 12- to 17-year-olds.

All Quebecers who have been previously vaccinated, either in the province or elsewhere (withproof they received a Health Canada-approved shot)are eligible.

Participants must consent to having their name made public if they win one of the draws.

People may be able to get 3rd dose

Quebec is authorizing a third COVID vaccine dose to make it easier for some people to travel internationally.

The Health Ministry says anyone who either got two doses of the Covishield vaccine, or who mixed doses of Covishield or AstraZenica with an mRNA vaccine can request a third mRNA shot.

That's because some destinations and some cruise companies do not recognize Covishield as an accepted vaccine.

The Health Ministry says travellers can get the third dose either by appointment at a walk-in clinic.

Quebec will also press Ottawa to try and convince other jurisdictions to accept Covishield and AZ vaccinations.

Top COVID-19 stories

• Quebec study aims to develop treatment for COVID-19 long-haulers
• The U.S. land border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least Aug. 21
• Nurses in Quebec are decrying dismal work conditions in ERs
• Pandemic travel restrictions are leaving children of temporary residents stranded abroad
• Here's what Quebec can learn from other regions with vaccination passport systems
• Why the delta variant means some Canadians now more 'at risk' from COVID-19 than ever before
• Canada could avoid the worst of a fourth wave but we're not out of the woods yet
• Push to vaccinate Quebecers18-29 is on, as normal return to higher education hangs in the balance