First-dose vaccinations quadruple in Quebec ahead of restrictions at liquor and cannabis stores
The number of appointments for the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has risen sharply this week in Quebec, according to Health Minister Christian Dubé.
In a brief message posted to social media Friday morning, Dubé notes that in the last few days, appointments for first doses have increased from 1,500 per day to more than 6,000.
The minister took a moment to thank those who finally decided to get vaccinated, reiterating that it is never too late to receive a first dose of vaccine.
Thursday, Dubé announced that vaccine passports would be required to enter Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) and Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) locations starting Jan. 18.
He explains the decision was made to curb an increase in cases of the highly contagious Omicron variant.
He says he hopes this measure will be an additional incentive for some people to get their first dose of vaccine against COVID-19, as more than 50 per cent of people currently hospitalized are non-vaccinated people, though they represent about 10 per cent of the population.
Dubé adds in the coming weeks, other non-essential services, including personal care, could be added to the list of places requiring a vaccine passport.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 7, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6968345.1721304526!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly visiting China
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is visiting China, according to China’s foreign ministry, in what was an unannounced trip.
Former safety minister wants 'protective zones' for MPs' offices as threats increase
Former public safety minister Marco Mendicino is calling for the creation of 'protective zones' around political constituency offices to shield members of Parliament and their staff from a rising tide of threatening behaviour.
RNC takeaways: Biden isn't the only older man keeping health details under wraps
Republicans welcomed JD Vance as Donald Trump's running mate on the same night devoted to blasting U.S. President Joe Biden's leadership on the world stage. Here are some takeaways from Day 3 of the RNC.
BREAKING Two listeriosis deaths in Ontario linked to plant-based milk recall: MOH
Two deaths as a result of a listeriosis outbreak linked to a plant-based milk recall are in Ontario, provincial health officials confirmed Thursday.
Days after shooting, Trump to address Republican National Convention on final day
Days after Donald Trump was injured in a shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania, the former U.S. president is expected to address the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin.
Mississauga, Ont., nursing home evacuated of more than 100 residents amid flooding
First responders say it took nearly 12 hours to rescue more than 100 residents from a flooded Mississauga, Ont., long-term care home after torrential rain pummelled the Greater Toronto Area on Tuesday.
German police detain a suspected stalker ahead of a Taylor Swift concert
An American man who made threats against Taylor Swift on social media was detained ahead of her first concert in the German city of Gelsenkirchen and will be kept in custody until her shows there are over, police said Thursday.
John Deere ends support of 'social or cultural awareness' events, distances from inclusion efforts
Farm equipment maker John Deere says it will no longer sponsor 'social or cultural awareness' events, becoming the latest major U.S. company to distance itself from diversity and inclusion measures after being targeted by conservative backlash.
Rare photos reveal uncontacted tribe in Peruvian Amazon as loggers move in
Rare images of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, were published on Tuesday by Survival International,