Minister Lionel Carmant’s awareness campaign among the unvaccinated has had mixed results. Since its launch at the end of January, 27,142 more people have been vaccinated out of the half-million Quebecers still refractory to immunization.
On January 24, the government unveiled a new strategy to reach the unvaccinated. “We want to meet people in the field to explain to them the benefits of vaccination, using a positive approach,” said Minister Lionel Carmant.
The latter gave himself until Thursday to evaluate the results of the campaign which notably provided for the opening in certain targeted walk-in clinics throughout Quebec and the creation of a telephone line dedicated to the undecided.
“We give ourselves until March 31. And if it ever works very well, then we’ll see, ”declared Minister Carmant without giving himself specific targets to achieve.
Since then, the number of unvaccinated adult Quebecers has gone from nearly 540,000 to 510,769.
Concentrated efforts in Montreal
As announced in January, the new strategy has mainly affected neighborhoods with low vaccination coverage in the Montreal region, indicates the Ministry of Health. In particular, Public Health has opened an ephemeral vaccination site at the CLSC Sainte-Catherine.
Actions also targeted regions such as Bas-Saint-Laurent, where mobile vaccination clinics enabled the administration of 757 doses of vaccines in February and March.
Almost everywhere in Quebec, vaccination activities took place in companies, in shopping centres, in convenience stores, gas stations and even ski resorts.
And now ? Will these actions be extended? The entry into the scene of the sixth wave risks justifying it, indicates Minister Carmant’s office.