Montreal patient advocate in favour of mandatory vaccines as ICUs fill up
On Saturday, St. Mary's Hospital Centre reported three ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19.
Around the same time, the Lakeshore General Hospital temporarily closed two of its operating rooms, citing a spike in hospitalizations due to COVID-19.
This past weekend, the average age of ICU patients hovered around 40.
With all this in mind, one Montreal lawyer and patient advocate says it's time for some extreme measures.
"The government has the power to order everyone to get vaccinated. Why? Because we want to save the system," said Paul Brunet.
According to Brunet, anyone who views mandatory vaccines as a violation of human rights should look at arguments made over seatbelt legislation in the 1990s.
“If you’re not fixed to your seat and there’s someone else in the car, you can become a projectile and harm someone else. That’s the point — as soon as you may harm someone else, that’s where public interest comes in.”
Some locals, like student Rami Ghoudi, say making vaccines mandatory isn't a bad idea.
“I think that’s fine given what’s going on with COVID," he said.
But Ghoudi thinks it's too soon to make any kind of concrete decision.
“If it doesn’t work, maybe forcing can be an option. But we should spend more time, more research on educating everyone to get vaccinated as opposed to imposing a mandate.”
Epidemiological expert Dr. Christopher Labos echoed that sentiment, saying most unvaccinated people aren't "anti-vaxxers" — they're just waiting for more data.
“People are being vaccinated every day, so there is clearly still room to grow," he said. "As people realize that they have to be vaccinated to enjoy non-essential services, more and more people will get vaccinated."
He says vaccine mandates can be beneficial, as we have already seen with healthcare workers and some schools.
But as Delta cases continue to rise, many wonder when enforcing COVID-19 vaccines should come into play.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.