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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.