Photo: Medicago

A Quebec City company is a serious contender in the race to develop a vaccine to combat COVID-19. Medicago, a biopharmaceutical company founded in 1999, has already produced a virus-like particle (VLP) that mimics the new coronavirus now wreaking havoc in the world.

Historians, generally a disputatious bunch – although they would dispute that – probably agree on one thing.

Photo: Library and Archives Canada

This street is named in honour of Georges- Auguste Gigault (1845-1915) who was a notary, public servant and political figure in Quebec.

Born in Saint-Mathias de Rouville, the son of Pierre Gigault and Marguerite Wait, he was educated at the Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe. Gigault went on to study law in Montreal and was licensed as a notary in 1867. In 1870, he married Isabella Dillon.

The provincial and federal governments are making unprecedented calls on colleges, CEGEPs, vocational training centres and universities to contribute supplies and expertise to the fight against COVID-19.

Local high school sports teams fell victim to the COVID-19 virus, and the Blazers from Quebec High School were not immune.

In a school that has 330 students, the Blazers fielded seven basketball teams in 2019-20. “This is great, considering the size of QHS,” wrote Danny Weston, the school’s athletic director, in an email interview.

On March 12, following instructions from local health authorities, Jeffery Hale Community Partners (JH Partners) suspended all Wellness group activities at all of its sites, including the Jeffery Hale, Saint Brigid’s Home, McGreevy Manor, the Gatehouse and elsewhere.

So I still can’t totally control the iPad but my skills have improved A LOT over 10 days of social distancing. Yes, I went out and bought the toilet paper and the Kleenex, but today [March 23] I felt resentful about being a victim. I’ve had it and it’s time to strike back. How? With balloons!

Photo: Cassandra Kerwin

Quebecers love winter and embrace it by taking part in many activities: skiing, skating, sledding, building snowmen and having snowball fights. We even celebrate it with an annual winter carnival. Nevertheless, there is something about March and the spring equinox that makes everyone want to step outside and applaud the warmer weather.

Photo: Wikipedia Commons - Public Domain

Forty-five years after the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell, an article written by Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi was published worldwide, including in the March 25, 1920 edition of the Quebec Chronicle. In his writings, Marconi made this bold prediction.

Photo: Wikipedia Commons - Public Domain

March 22, 1820 – The Quebec Gazette
The Princess of Wales

Photo: Photo by Lise Lafond

You’re at home, because of the COVID-19 pandemic voluntary isolation, and looking for things to do. After you’ve done all your personal filing, cleaned the house (again) and watched all that Netflix has to offer, how about getting an early start on Christmas gifts?

Photo: Screenshot from Facebook page

On the fourth Sunday of Lent, Rev. Katherine Burgess expected to be standing before her congregation in Kirk Hall of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Old Quebec. Instead, with in-person gatherings in churches banned as part of Quebec’s effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, she read a sermon from her home, seated in front of a mobile phone and a single lit candle.

Spring officially began at 11:49 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 19, but here in Quebec City, much as we’d love to be out and about enjoying the nice “almost-but-not-quite-spring” weather, most people have hunkered down, obeying government instructions to avoid picking up and spreading the COVID-19 bug.

Photo: Luc Lang

On March 16, Quebec AAA Midget Hockey League president Yannick Lévesque announced the cancellation of the remainder of the 2020 playoffs. “Even though the Telus Cup was cancelled, we hoped to finish the playoffs as we were in the middle of the quarterfinals,” said Lévesque.

Photo: Luc Lang

The Quebec Capitales and the Frontier Baseball League have both issued statements in recent days regarding the possible postponement of the leagues’ opening games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.