With Quebec short 4,000 nurses, health minister pleads, yet again: get vaccinated
Quebec's health minister made yet another plea on Tuesday to a certain 15 per cent of Quebecers: get vaccinated.
Health Minister Christan Dubé said that the numbers of those hospitalized may seem small. But he'd like people to keep one thing in mind: Quebec is so low on nursing staff by now, it can't afford any more strain.
Seven more patients were admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in the last day, including three in intensive care. Most of those weren't fully vaccinated, as is the case with most of the hundreds of more mild new daily infections.
Dube said the province is coming out of a summer where it barely managed to avoid increasing surgery wait lists. Private clinics have stepped in to keep regular surgeries going through the fourth wave.
But he indicated Tuesday that Quebec is now at a critical juncture now. Quebec is short 4,000 nurses, there are regions of Quebec where the staff shortage is so low -- in Abitibi, for example -- that authorities there will have to close an emergency room in order to preserve other services.
All strains on the system are exacerbated by COVID-19, and unvaccinated patients are much more likely to need hospital care than the vaccinated.
The hospital network in Montreal and other regions can't afford, staffing-wise, to take care of these patients without forcing others to postpone urgent operations, Dubé said.
Watch the video above to see his comments.
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.