Quebec firm on jab deadline for health-care workers

Union wants more time since government hasn't released details about rule, exemptions

Quebec is sticking to its mid-october deadline to have all healthcare workers in the province vaccinated, Health Minister Christian Dubé said Friday, but some are suggesting more time is needed before the rule comes into effect.

Dubé told reporters in Lévis he's confident managers in the health network will be able to come up with a contingency plan and reorganize services in the event many staff remain unvaccinated and are unable to work. He said a month remains, and he urged employees to get their vaccines.

“We're in a crisis situation, we're taking measures that are temporary, we're reorganizing (services), it's temporary, but the most important thing is coming up with a solution for personnel and that's what we're committed to doing in the coming days,” he said.

Ahead of an Oct. 15 deadline for health-care workers to be fully vaccinated or risk suspension, about 20,000 workers — including 10,000 who work with patients — still haven't had their two shots.

As of Sept. 14, the province's public health institute says, 93.4 per cent of health workers had received a first dose and 89.5 per cent were adequately vaccinated.

But some say more time is needed, especially since the provincial government hasn't published the decree outlining the details of the health measure and what exemptions might exist.

The Health Department says the decree is expected soon, but one union leader said if the government was serious about the Oct. 15 date it should have published a decree two weeks ago.

“It takes four weeks for people to have two doses. We've got to give time for the network and for people who would want to get the two doses once they see the decree,” Jeff Begley, head of the federation of health and social services unions, said Friday.

The vast majority of his members are vaccinated, and Begley said coercion is less effective than encouragement. “That's still our position, but if the government decides to go ahead with mandatory vaccinations, we want to advise our members knowing all the details,” he said.

On Friday, Quebec reported 837 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths.