Acting Liberal Leader, Roger Melanson is calling for immediate and urgent action in response to increased COVID-19 cases and the lack of a coordinated response to the pressing health and social needs of Health Zone 4.

Melanson joins his colleague MLA’s Jean-Claude D’Amours, Francine Landry, Gilles LePage and Chuck Chiasson in urging government to quickly establish a coordinated emergency measures centre in the region to ensure that the Departments of Health, Public Safety and Social Development and the Vitalité Health Network are on the ground and responsive to critical staffing, logistics and communications needs arising from the COVID-19 crisis in Zone 4.

The Leader is also urging government to immediately increase COVID-19 testing in the region by establishing “pop-up” testing sites and drawing on the significant number of rapid testing kits made available to the province by the federal government.

“The situation in Zone 4 has reached a critical level and demands immediate additional action.” said Melanson. “Reports coming to our MLA’s describe an escalating and worrisome trend. We have long term care facilities that are in lock-down with little or no staff available to ensure the wellbeing of residents, we have families in lockdown who are struggling to make ends meet and we are experiencing a vacuum in terms of communications to residents of Zone 4. I have shared these concerns directly with the Minister of Health earlier today.”

Zone 4 includes the region extending from the Québec border to Blue Bell and north to St-Jean-Baptiste.