Deadline for mandatory vaccination of Quebec healthcare workers pushed to Nov. 15

UPDATED 1:50 p.m. Despite the fact that Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé said numerous times that this week’s deadline for healthcare workers to get vaccinated was firm, the date for mandatory vaccination has now been pushed back for one month, from Oct. 15 to Nov. 15. Dubé attributed the decision to the fact that the loss of thousands of workers due to the vaccine mandate would place an unreasonable amount of stress on the healthcare system across Quebec.

According to Dubé, roughly 3,000 nurses and 2,500 patient attendants are still unvaccinated. He called this extension of the deadline a “last chance” before they face suspension without pay.

“And I have a last message for healthcare workers who are not vaccinated yet: we are reaching out to you, and we sincerely hope that you will take this offer.

“Please do it for yourself, for your loved ones. Otherwise, please do it for your colleagues, because they really need you.”

—Christian Dubé

Following this morning’s press conference, Dubé shared a graphic revealing “the fragility of our health network,” illustrating the reason for the deadline extension.

“This table represents the fragility of our health network. Already, before compulsory vaccination, we are in a labor shortage. On October 15, with 22,446 fewer people, that would have had enormous consequences for the health services offered to Quebecers.”

Ce tableau représente la fragilité de notre réseau de la santé. Déjà, avant la vaccination obligatoire, nous sommes en pénurie de main-d’oeuvre. Le 15 octobre, avec 22 446 personnes de moins, ça aurait eu d’énormes conséquences sur les services de santé offerts aux Québécois. pic.twitter.com/Pkt0Qg16RT

— Christian Dubé (@cdube_sante) October 13, 2021

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