The Legault government could suspend the imposition of the vaccine passport “in a few weeks”. That said, he does not rule out putting it back on its feet if a further increase in contamination occurs in the coming months.
Posted at 3:43 p.m.
“Will Public Health recommend that we, hopefully in a few weeks, say that we can suspend it because it is better? But could we restore it if we were ever caught with another wave? That’s what you have to think about, ”explained the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, on Friday during a period of interpellation held in the Blue Room of the National Assembly.
It lasted about two hours, at the invitation of liberal health critic Monsef Derraji. While arguing in passing that Quebecers “have demonstrated that they agree with the vaccine passport”, the CAQ Minister nevertheless recognized the need to have “discussions” on this measure in the future, with Health public and government experts.
“Will we be able to restore these tools if we need them? That’s what you have to be able to have discussions, not only with Public Health”, he further agreed, welcoming the expertise “which was brought to us with the arrival” of the national director of public health, the Dr Luc Boileau. Mr. Dubé also insisted that the government must first “look at the science” to “ensure that each decision is made in the light of science”.
His words, or at least their tone, contrast in part with those he had made as recently as last Tuesday. “For me, the vaccine passport, it is here to stay”, had indeed argued Mr. Dubé at a press conference.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, PRESS ARCHIVES
While arguing in passing that Quebecers “have demonstrated that they agree with the vaccine passport”, the Minister of Health Christian Dubé nevertheless recognized the need to have “discussions” on this measure in the future. .
The Minister of Health did not make himself available to answer questions from the media after the arrest on Friday. “We will continue to listen to the recommendations of Public Health. At this stage, the recommendations remain the same for gradual deconfinement, with the wearing of a mask and the application of the vaccine passport. We will have the opportunity to take stock with the experts shortly,” however, specified his press attaché, Marjaurie Côté-Boileau.
At least until mid-March
Earlier this week, Wednesday, the Dr Luc Boileau had indicated that he still plans to maintain physical distancing, the wearing of a mask and the imposition of the vaccine passport at least until mid-March.
“We hope not, but we’ll see”, he limited himself to saying when asked whether the new BA.2 variant, a sub-line of Omicron judged to be up to 30% more transmissible and increasingly more present in Quebec, could upset this preliminary schedule. As for the state of health emergency, “it was necessary and still is”, insisted the Dr Boileau.
For the time being, the lifting of the health emergency, demanded for months by the opposition, should come only after the adoption of a bill which will ensure the maintenance of certain exceptional measures, such as the vaccine passport. and bonuses paid to health personnel. The legislative text will be tabled in March, Prime Minister François Legault said on Tuesday, and its adoption could come in the spring.