‘Risk is too high:’ Quebec delays vaccine mandate for health workers by one month
Posted October 13, 2021 11:36 am.
Last Updated October 13, 2021 7:08 pm.
MONTREAL — Quebec is delaying its deadline for health-care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 until Nov. 15 because there are still too many unvaccinated employees in the network.
Health Minister Christian Dube told reporters today there are 14,000 health-care workers in the public and private systems who aren’t fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.
The government had imposed a deadline of this Friday for all health-care workers in the province to get the vaccine or face suspension without pay.
Dube says it would be irresponsible to stick to the deadline, because the risk of labour shortages is too high in a system that is already short-staffed.
He says that starting Monday, all unvaccinated health-care workers in the public sector will be tested for COVID-19 at least three times a week, and the government isn’t ruling out requiring regular testing in the private sector.
Meanwhile, health officials are reporting 512 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today and seven more people in hospital due to the novel coronavirus.
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