Health minister Dube 'very firm' that 20,000 Quebec health-care workers need to get vaccinated by Oct. 15
The province's health-care workers will have to have both doses of COVID-19 vaccine by mid-October or risk being suspended, Health Minister Christian Dube maintained Thursday.
Dube said he remains firm on his goal of ensuring the 20,000 workers in the network who are not yet fully vaccinated get their shots.
Asked today about the target, Dube says it's still possible to vaccinate 20,000 health workers -- which includes 10,000 who are in direct contact with patients -- by the deadline. He noted the number has already dipped from 30,000 in late August.
"Yes, it is possible, they can do it," Dube said in Quebec City when asked about the logistics. "We can vaccinate 100,000 persons per day. There's still 20,000 left, they should go right now."
But he has asked regional health officials to prepare a contingency plan in the event vaccination targets aren't met, adding that some workers could be assigned to perform administrative tasks from home.
Quebec on Thursday reported 782 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, with the province now over 400,000 confirmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Of the new cases, nearly 80 per cent were people who were not adequately vaccinated.
The Health Department said six more people were in hospital for a total of 256, with 87 of those requiring intensive care, a rise of two patients.
According to the province's public health institute, 88.6 per cent of Quebecers aged 12 and up have received one dose of vaccine, with 83.7 per cent considered adequately vaccinated. The province administered 18,886 COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday.
Dube also says the government wants to attract more than 4,000 nurses to work in the public network through various financial incentives, which have yet to be announced. He said the nurses would come from private agencies and out of retirement, and details of the plan will be provided next week.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Oct. 16, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.