MONTREAL — Seventy-five per cent of Quebec adults have received a COVID-19 vaccine or are booked to get one, Premier Francois Legault said Tuesday, a few hours before he is scheduled to release the government’s reopening plan.

“We are finally approaching our freedom! Thank you for making the difference!” the premier said on Twitter. Legault is to hold a 5 p.m. news conference in Quebec City alongside his health minister and director of national health.

For the second consecutive day, health officials Tuesday reported the lowest number of new daily cases since September. Officials reported 549 new COVID-19 infections and nine more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including four within the previous 24 hours. They said hospitalizations dropped by 17, to 484, and 118 people were in intensive care, a rise of two.

As of Tuesday morning, 49 per cent of all Quebecers — 60 per cent of adults — had received at least one vaccine dose, according to government data. Officials said 70,122 doses of vaccine were administered Monday, for a total of 4,469,055.

The government has set a goal of vaccinating 75 per cent of all adults in the province by the June 24 Fête nationale holiday.

“Thanks to the young people, we are on the way to achieving our goal,” Health Minister Christian Dubé said Tuesday on Twitter. Vaccination bookings opened last week to anyone 18 years and up.

Earlier this month, Legault said he was impressed with Saskatchewan’s “Re-Opening Roadmap” and asked Dubé to develop a similar plan.

Saskatchewan’s three-step plans calls for a gradual reopening with various restrictions lifted after 70 per cent of people above certain age thresholds are vaccinated. It lifts most restrictions three weeks after 70 per cent of all adults in the province receive their first vaccines doses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18, 2021.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

Jacob Serebrin, The Canadian Press