According to the latest surveys, three in four Quebecers want to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This percentage has increased since the fall, as we see the positive impact in people vaccinated, which seems to allay fears. What is surprising is that the membership rate among healthcare workers is not much higher.
Worse, we learned this week that only 40% of all employees of the CISSS de l’Outaouais had received their dose of vaccine. Yet they were the first to witness the dramatic consequences of this virus that transformed our lives a year ago. Are there other pockets of resistance as high elsewhere in Quebec?
What worries the resistance fighters so much? In February, the epidemic of false information was the main factor behind the refusal of part of the population. But I imagine this is not the case for the doctors, attendants and nurses who always resist!
COMPULSORY VACCINATION?
I know, some are wondering, should we make the vaccine mandatory for all patient and elder contact workers?
It is true that in several shifts, we require protective equipment, such as a helmet, a mask, safety shoes, but let’s say that a vaccine is more invasive.
It cannot be removed after the shift is over.
Under section 123 of the Public Health Act, the government can order compulsory vaccination.
The Minister of Health could also use section 20 of the Quebec charter to make it a reasonable professional requirement, justified by a serious risk to the health and safety of other employees and beneficiaries. It would be a first. But do we really want to go that far?
THE PROS AND THE CONS
Let’s do the analysis of the pros and cons. In the section of “for”, there would certainly be the wish of the public health authorities to reach the threshold of collective immunity to protect and reassure the population. There would also be a question of costs.
We all collectively pay for the CNESST when a healthcare worker finds himself on a prolonged work stoppage, while being deprived of a precious resource.
In the “against” section, there would certainly be an attempt to challenge for non-respect of rights and freedoms, the horrible image of resistant workers brought by force by the authorities to receive the precious injection, or even nursing staff handing over their resignation en bloc, when we are in a shortage of resources.
I sincerely hope that our government will not need to go that far.
After more than 10,000 deaths in Quebec, it seems to me that it has gone on long enough. Only vaccines can get us out of this pandemic. It’s still surreal having to explain it to one in four healthcare workers, don’t you think?
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