It was during a telephone meeting with my oncologist. A few years ago I had a bone marrow transplant for cancer. I am now in remission. Extremely lucky, because I am a Quebec citizen who was entitled to highly specialized care, free of charge.
My doctor told me that at the hospital where I was treated, 75% of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 are unvaccinated. More disturbing, of the 38 beds usually available for cases similar to mine, only 15 remain, the others are occupied by COVID patients … I remind you, mostly unvaccinated.
I am fortunate to live in a society where the social safety net provides quality of life and equal care for all. There is a price to pay for it. It’s called living together. The famous “all for one” which makes the community responsible for each and everyone. But when does the formula change to become “every man for himself”?
After more than two years of pandemic, accumulated deaths, restrictions on normal life, endless discussions and procrastination, we will have to face the facts. Nothing more justifies the permissive attitude towards the unvaccinated.
The road to compulsory vaccination becomes obvious.
Unless the government hopes for a lull in the coming months? It should be remembered that we are in the fifth wave. This calming speech has already been given after the second, third and fourth waves. Omicron was believed to be less dangerous. But as it is more contagious, the number of cases explodes, hospitalizations reach astronomical figures and it is the whole health system, what am I saying, the whole of society which is on the verge of rout.
What are the reasons for not imposing compulsory vaccination? Some would say that this is a question of political philosophy. The defense of individual freedom at all costs. We see where it takes us when collective freedom is threatened by a minority.
Wouldn’t it be fairer to talk about political reasons altogether? There will soon be elections in Quebec. What is the electoral nuisance power of a fringe of 10% of the population who will not only vote, but will be agitated, perhaps violently, to occupy all the media space following such a measure?
Certainly, these questions animate some people in the entourage of our politicians. Political calculation feeds procrastination. And crucial decisions are long overdue.
We have a tradition of tolerance in Quebec. We favor consensus. We are against the liberticidal measures (the oldest will remember the conscription). We don’t like dissent. But we face a unique threat in our contemporary history.
Every citizen must do his duty. What the majority of us do. All we need is courage. Political courage.