Premier François Legault declared on Thursday that the province plans to set up a vaccine passport, owing to the increment in COVID-19 infections in the area.
He remarked that the province is on the verge of being hit by a fourth wave of the pandemic, and as a result, a vaccine passport would be enforced.
On Thursday, the province reported 305 new infections, which is the highest figure that has been recorded since May 30. However, 72 of these cases are being investigated further.
Legault asserted that individuals who have been fully immunized will be accorded certain privileges. So far the viral infection has taken the lives of 11,240 residents living in Quebec.
Christian Dubé, the health minister, is set to provide more information about how this new system will be rolled out in the coming days. He will also verify the specific dates when the system will start being enforced.
Initially, the government had announced that the rollout would start in September, but this was pegged on the caveat that the epidemiological event would deteriorate.
Speaking alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at an unrelated event, Legault mentioned that since cases were expected to increase in the coming days, the vaccine passport would be reserved only for those who’d made an effort to get immunized.
The one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that essential public services will remain accessible to every individual, regardless of their vaccination status.
However, the same doesn’t hold when it comes to non-essential areas like gyms, and eateries. In the latter, such services will only be accessible to those who are vaccinated.
Legault also confirmed that students attending university, CEGEPs, and schools would embark on their studies starting September. Important to note though is that there would be specific conditions set in place to guarantee their safety.
According to the ministry of health, Quebecers who are either unvaccinated or just partially immunized make up 92% of the new cases reported between 1st and 24th July.
By Thursday, about 83% of the eligible Quebec population had received the first dose of the vaccine while another 67% had been fully immunized.
Prime Minister Trudeau remarked that rolling out the vaccine passport was a good move since the number of COVID-19 cases has been rising.
The federal government is also thinking about making vaccinations mandatory for public servants.
