Quebecers waiting hours in the cold to get vaccinated against COVID-19

Quebecers are standing in line for hours -- sometimes outside in the cold -- as they wait to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Sunday, Wendy Davies says she took her 81-year-old husband, Paul Gallant, to the Gerry Robertson Community Centre in Montreal's Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough to get his booster shot.

They stood outside waiting for two hours.

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"The security and staff are overwhelmed," she said. "This is ridiculous and the Quebec government and public deserve to be made aware of how inefficiently Clic Santé is at booking appointments in facilities that do have not indoor waiting areas."

Davies says her husband's appointment was scheduled at 4:30 p.m., but he did not receive his vaccine until 6:45 p.m.

"Giving credit to the staff, they did provide wheelchairs and bring people inside with mobility issues, but the poor staff are tired and frustrated and apologetic on behalf of an inept system," she said. "Is this how we treat our seniors and others? Making seniors stand outside for two hours, no."

Davies adds her husband's case isn't unique: her brother-in-law and his wife both waited hours to get their booster shots.

"A friend’s husband who is undergoing cancer treatment and using a cane also waited two hours," she pointed out.

Health care officials admit the Gerry Robertson Community Centre, in particular, did see a high volume of visitors over the weekend.

"We implemented a voucher system and offered appointments to people in line to come back at a later date," Hélène Bergeron-Gamache, a spokesperson for the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, told CTV News.

With temperatures dipping drastically Monday -- a low of -25 degrees Celcius, according to Environment Canada -- Davies says she can't believe people are going to be forced to stand outside as long as she and her husband had to.

"I shudder to think about the people in line," she said. "No room to wait inside, no bathroom facilities, no physical distancing. There is an urgent need for Clic Santé to address this situation."

Grumbles about long line-ups at vaccine centres come at the same time that Quebecers are complaining about extended delays to not only get tested for the virus, but receive results to find out if they have COVID-19 and have to quarantine or not.

In addition, the province's rapid test rollout lacked gusto and officials were slow to say when people under the age of 60 would be able to register for their booster shots.

"A booster shot is not necessary if you already had COVID-19," the government notes.

Last week, the Quebec government finally outlined a schedule for when younger people will be able to sign up for their third doses:

• Jan. 4: 55 to 59-year-olds
• Jan. 6: 50 to 54-year-olds
• Jan 10: 45 to 49-year-olds
• Jan 12: 40 to 44-year-olds
• Jan 14: 35 to 39-year-olds
• Jan 17: 30 to 34 -year-olds
• Jan. 19: 25 to 29-year-olds
• Jan 21: 18 to 24-year-olds 

The federal government also announced Monday that it would be deploying the armed forces to help with the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Quebec.