Politics has its reasons that reason does not know, especially a few months before an election. The statement by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, that Paxlovid, a molecule that fights COVID-19, will replace the vaccine passport, stunned me.
The CAQ government understands, more than ever, its interest in ensuring that its decisions aimed at protecting the population from the virus do not encroach on its electoral support. The skyrocketing support for Éric Duhaime’s Conservative Party of Quebec, reported in a recent poll, undoubtedly occurred to the detriment of the government party. Cold sweats must begin to bead on the foreheads of the deputies of the CAQ at the idea of a loss of their majority. Faced with a population very generally disgusted with health measures and barriers, the government, in Quebec, seems to have lost its compass.
Reading an article in The duty of February 16 from the pen of journalist Isabelle Paré, whose subtitle indicated that the availability of Paxlovid was invoked for the abandonment of the vaccine passport, I noted that only Minister Dubé is categorically in favor of this change. Among the experts who spoke, the nuanced remarks rather invite caution.
The conclusion seems obvious to me: for several reasons, Paxlovid is not ready to be administered to severely affected patients. According to Paxlovid distribution supervisor at the McGill University Health Centre, Dr. Makeda Semlet, most studies indicate that out of 20 at-risk patients who receive it, only one avoids hospitalization.
Minister, it is clear that there is no consensus on the benefits of Paxlovid and its use in care. Consequently, hospitals cannot be deprived of the obligation of the health passport, for obvious reasons.
By wanting to please the right-wing electorate, you transcend the elementary duties of a government responsible for the health of all its citizens.