‘Vaccination is our passport to a return to normality’: Quebec could require proof of double vaccination
Posted July 8, 2021 5:56 pm.
Last Updated July 8, 2021 6:28 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MONTREAL (CityNews) – Proof of COVID-19 vaccination could be mandatory as of September 1 for all non-essential activities in certain high and moderate risk sectors in Quebec.
Quebecers may need to show proof of double vaccination in gyms, bars and restaurants or when playing team sports by using the QR code that is received after getting vaccinations.
Vaccination passports will not be used to get essential services or goods, but may be used for non-essential services if implemented.
Health Minister Christian Dubé encouraging Quebecers aged 18 to 30 to get their shots – the age group that is lagging behind – and crucial to getting the province to it’s vaccination goals
“If and only if the situation deteriorates, rather than closing sectors of activity, it would be necessary to be ‘doubly’ vaccinated to access certain activities,” said Dubé. “Vaccination is our passport to a return to normality.
“For many, there’s no sense of urgency, I’ll tell you that this is starting to be urgent to give you a first dose in July if you want to be adequately vaccinated by September 1st, things are starting to hurry.”
Other benefits for those who have been vaccinated:
- You could avoid isolating for 14 days after being in contact with a positive case
- You wouldn’t have to stop in-person work or school in the event of an outbreak
- You would no longer have to social distance or wear a mask during private gatherings
- It would also include the possibility to travel to several countries without having to quarantine upon return.
“If everybody in a location is fully vaccinated and doesn’t have COVID then there is essentially no risk. The problem becomes and the worry that many people in public health and government have had is that if you allow large gatherings, but you don’t know who’s vaccinated and who’s not, there’s always the possibility that somebody could be sick and spread the virus,” said Dr. Christopher Labos, Cardiologist & Epidemiologist.
Roughly 37.4 per cent of Quebecers have gotten two doses. However, the province is aiming to have 80 per cent of the population fully vaccinated by end of August.
The Health Minister saying, 95 per cent of new covid cases and hospitalizations in the last week affected people who were not fully vaccinated.
With the minimum interval between doses reduced to four weeks in the province, Dubé is urging there’s no reason to wait and experts agree.
“If we’re able to vaccinate everybody the surge in cases come the fall and winter could be very very low, and it could just be that it’s mild infections without people coming into hospital, so there likely will be a surge, the question becomes how big is it and how severe is it,” said Labos.
